


Bitter Pill

by heartsmadeofbooks



Category: Glee
Genre: Angst, Drama, Family Drama, Family Secrets, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-02
Updated: 2021-02-02
Packaged: 2021-03-13 20:22:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 48,543
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29159595
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/heartsmadeofbooks/pseuds/heartsmadeofbooks
Summary: Burt Hummel never thought his son's boyfriend would be the person he would reveal his darkest secret to, but sometimes life doesn't really work out the way it's supposed to.
Relationships: Blaine Anderson & Kurt Hummel, Blaine Anderson/Kurt Hummel
Comments: 14
Kudos: 47





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hey everyone!  
> Yesterday, I uploaded all of Syrup and Honey. Today, we continue with another one, also written in 2012. It feels like a lifetime ago.  
> If S&H is my most popular fic, then Bitter Pill is probably my least popular one. The premise is unusual and I'm very aware of it, but I loved writing it because it felt like a challenge.  
> Whether you've read it before or you've never heard of it, I hope that if you give it a shot, you will enjoy it ♥

Pride. Happiness. Sadness. Blaine was feeling a confusing mishmash of so many different things and he wasn't sure which ones he should show and which ones he should hide to make this easier for everyone.

There were tears in Kurt's eyes.

Blaine decided to try for optimism.

"Hey, hey, don't cry. It's okay," he wrapped his arms around his boyfriend, not caring about who saw them, not caring about the crowd milling around them, and ignoring them on their single minded path to their own destinations. Kurt hid his face in the crook of Blaine's neck. "What's a year in a lifetime? Nothing. We'll be together again very soon, before you even get used to living in the city."

Kurt sniffed against his skin. "I'm starting to think that this whole moving to New York thing was a terrible idea."

"Kurt, look at me," Blaine put his hands on the other boy's shoulders and gently pushed him back a few inches so they could look each other in the eyes. Kurt tried to blink his tears away unsuccessfully. "I'm not saying that this isn't going to be hard. And you know it as well as I do. What I'm trying to say here is that we'll make it work. And we'll be so busy making it work that we won't notice how fast the time flies. Yes, there will be a few days when it may feel eternal, but… just remember that I'm going to be there with you next year."

Kurt rummaged through the contents of his messenger bag until he found a package of tissues. He hugged it to his chest and grabbed one, wiping his tears away and blowing his nose in it. Blaine smiled. This was the least elegant he had ever seen Kurt in public. It was adorable.

"Why do you always have to be the rational one?" Kurt whined.

"You left me with no other choice, sweetheart," Blaine answered. He tightened his arms around Kurt's waist. "And I meant what I said. One year is nothing compared to a lifetime. And that's how long I plan to be with you."

Kurt's breath caught as his heart beat quicker. This was the first time one of them stated out loud that they wanted to be together for the rest of their lives. They didn't want to be naïve and make promises they might not be able to keep, especially with Kurt leaving for college while Blaine stayed in Ohio. But they both had somehow planned their lives so they could do exactly that: be together, get married, have kids. And gosh, Blaine wanted it. Blaine wanted it all so much…

Kurt forgot about everyone around them, too. He didn't care that they were in the middle of the airport. He just knew that he wasn't going to see his boyfriend, this wonderful, beautiful, amazing boy he loved with everything he had, for months, so he moved forward and captured his lips in a kiss, throwing his arms around his shoulders to keep him close, to hold him as close as he could for as long as he could.

Blaine immediately melted into the kiss. He allowed himself to get lost in it for a second, and then he started paying attention to the way Kurt's lips moved over his, how they felt against him when they parted, how warm and wet Kurt's mouth was, how sweet he tasted, how perfect his tongue felt when it touched his. He forced himself to memorize every detail, because something as simple as this – kissing his boyfriend – wasn't going to be something they would be doing every day anymore.

They pulled away, breathless, and rested their foreheads together.

"I love you," Kurt said in a whisper.

"I love you, too," Blaine echoed, moving slightly to nuzzle their noses against each other.

It was time for Kurt to board his plane. Finn and Rachel were waiting for him a few steps away. Carole, Burt and Rachel's dads were there, too. Blaine kissed his cheek and then rolled his eyes, playfully, as he pushed him towards his brother and his best friend.

"Go, silly," he said. "The sooner you leave, the sooner you'll come back to see me."

Kurt laughed, watery and a bit sad, but it was still a laugh. He blew a kiss over his shoulder for his parents, who he had shared a very long goodbye with already, and then winked an eye to Blaine.

Once he was gone, Blaine crumbled like a sandcastle on a stormy day. He covered his face with his hands and let the tears and the sobs he had been holding in escape.

A hand fell gently on his shoulder and he looked up, eyelashes wet with tears, to find Burt.

"Come on, kid," he said, and his voice was hoarse. Blaine realized that, if anyone in the world could understand what it felt like to be without Kurt, it was Burt Hummel. "Let's go grab something to eat."

Blaine simply nodded and let Burt guide him outside the airport, as he started calculating in his head, counting the days until he could see Kurt again.

* * *

It hit him like a freight train the next morning.

It was Saturday, and usually the house buzzed with life on the weekends. It was normal to walk into the kitchen to find Kurt making breakfast, Finn half asleep at the table, having woken up too early for one of the crazy dates Rachel planned for them. Sometimes Blaine would be around, too, having a cup of coffee as he waited for Kurt to be ready to go out, too.

This morning, though, the house felt empty. Burt Hummel walked into an empty kitchen and it suddenly hit him: his sons had gone away to college.

He took a few more steps and then dropped down on a chair, feeling his legs wouldn't hold him much longer. How was it possible? Where had the time gone? It seemed just yesterday he was teaching Kurt how to ride a bike or he was tucking him in at nights, kissing his little forehead and then feeling him reach and grab his sleeve to beg for a story until he could fall asleep. When had his little boy grown up? When had he become the man he was now?

Kurt was in New York, living in a dorm and starting his life the way he had dreamed of since he was about four years old. He had always been too good for this town and Burt knew it. But it didn't make it easier to know he was gone.

"Burt? What's wrong? Are you feeling alright?" Carole asked, as she walked into the kitchen, frowning.

Burt nodded very slowly. "Yeah, it's just… they're gone."

Carole sighed and smiled sadly, sitting next to him and reaching for his hand. "I know. It feels weird, doesn't it?"

Burt looked back at all the months of crazy planning and organizing they had gone through once they knew both Kurt and Finn had gotten into school in New York. They were both going to attend NYU while Rachel went to Julliard. The idea of the three of them getting an apartment wasn't very practical since they finding a place in the middle of both schools wouldn't be convinient for any of them. So Finn and Kurt were now sharing a dorm room and Burt could only hope that they wouldn't kill each other, or at least get along better than the first time they had to share. Kurt had opted for a Theatre major while Finn had chosen to go for Sports Management. Burt couldn't deny he was bursting with pride for both of them… but an empty house felt a bit too lonely right now. He wished their boys hadn't been the same age, so the change would've been a bit more gradual.

Burt sighed bitterly and Carole put a hand on his shoulder, squeezing lovingly.

"Do you want me to put some of Finn's favorite loud music on and spread Vogue magazines all over the house?" She asked, teasingly.

Burt blinked a few times. "You know what? That's actually a good idea."

Carole laughed, and then proceeded to make breakfast, realizing only once she was done that she had made the extra plate of bacon and eggs that Finn used to have every morning and Kurt's favorite fruit smoothie.

Yeah, it was going to be hard for both of them to get used to the kids being gone.

* * *

It hit him like a freight train on the first day of school.

It wasn't like Blaine hadn't noticed the lack of Kurt in his life until then, it was just that it seemed to intensify as he entered the doors of McKinley High that morning.

Four days. It had only been four days since he had kissed Kurt for the last time at the airport. They had shared several Skype calls and Kurt had showed him his dorm through his webcam. He had sounded very excited and Blaine had forced himself to smile at everything Kurt said even though it was killing him inside because he just wanted to be with him.

How was he going to survive a whole year if he couldn't make it through one damn video call without wanting to reach out through the internet and touch that pale, beautiful skin with his fingertips?

He walked to his new locker and opened it. He shoved his books and the extra change of clothes he knew he would need at some point when the slushies came, before hanging the picture of him and Kurt that summer in Blaine's backyard on the inside of the door, next to a calendar with a picture of New York City. He needed a goal, an incentive. He needed to know what was going to be waiting for him once this (agonizing, painful, unnecessary long) senior year was done and he could reunite with Kurt.

The bell rang signaling homeroom and Blaine sighed. His hand closed reflexively, as if it was trying to grab another hand that wasn't there to hold. He looked around at the students coming and going in a hurry to get to their first classes and realized he had never felt so alone in a place so full of people.

* * *

Blaine knew both of them needed something to hold on to, something to fill the empty space that the boy they loved with all their hearts had left in their aching chests. They knew they were the only ones who completely understood what Kurt's absence felt like.

That was why once a week (twice if it became too much to bear, if the distance seemed endless and painful), he walked into Hummel Tires and Lube with two cups of coffee ( _"Decaf for my dad, Blaine, please. You and Carole are in charge of looking after him, now."_ ), dressed in an old pair of jeans and a ratty hoodie with the Dalton Fencing Team logo on it, already stained with grease and motor oil from all the other times he had come over to spend some time with Burt.

It had started just a few days after Kurt was gone. Blaine had gone to Friday night dinner, because Burt and Carole refused to have family dinner without him.

"I refuse to go through all the trouble of cooking a decent dinner just for the two of us. And I refuse to stop seeing you just because Kurt is in New York," Carole had said, looking severely at him, but her lips were tugging slightly, as if she was holding back a smile. "You're like a son to us, Blaine. Please don't stop coming to Friday night dinners."

And how could Blaine say no to that? He loved Burt and Carole as if they were his own parents, and the idea of not seeing them until Kurt was back in town made him feel even emptier than he already did without his boyfriend around. Who could understand Blaine better than the people who missed Kurt as much as he did?

It just took one comment from Burt saying how noticeable Finn and Kurt's absence was back at the garage while Carole passed him a bowl of salad, for Blaine to open his mouth.

"I could come over and help out, if you want," he offered, a bit shyly, wondering if he was overstepping. Burt was, after all, his boyfriend's father. He didn't want to say something out of line. "I-I mean… if you need some help at the garage. Because if you just miss them, then I just… I'm sorry."

"Blaine," Burt rolled his eyes in that very characteristic way that reminded Blaine of Kurt. "You don't have to apologize, buddy. Of course I miss them and I constantly notice they're gone, but yeah, I also miss their help. Especially Finn's. Kid was getting really good."

"Oh, okay…" Blaine nodded, hesitantly. "So…"

"You can come over after school or on the weekend or whenever you want," Burt passed the salad to Blaine once he was done with it. "I'm sure Kurt left his coveralls somewhere in his closet…"

That's how Kurt's coveralls had ended up in Blaine's room, but he preferred to not use them, wearing instead his old Dalton clothes, because he could still smell Kurt's skin and… yeah, well, Blaine missed his boyfriend like crazy. If hugging a piece of clothing helped with the longing he felt, then he would smell and hug the hell out of them.

The first afternoon Blaine spent at the garage was a little bit awkward. He had shared very few moments with Burt alone since he had started dating Kurt, and most of them had been filled with the background sound of football or Kurt working in the kitchen or getting ready upstairs. But this time, Blaine spent four hours with just Burt, working on the cars. At first it was easy to get distracted and just absorb everything Burt was explaining to him, but once he understood what he had to do, the silence seemed to fall heavily on both of them.

Until Burt started telling Blaine stories from Kurt's childhood.

Blaine loved hearing stories that showed him a different side of Kurt he had never had the chance of knowing or seeing with his own eyes. Burt even looked for old photo albums that Kurt had stashed away in the house to avoid exactly what Burt did during one of the Friday night dinners: showing Blaine all the pictures of Kurt as a baby or as a cute toddler dressed in a cowboy outfit for Halloween one year. He didn't seem very happy with what he was wearing, considering the glare he was directing at the camera in several of the pictures.

After that, it became a lot easier to talk about other stuff as well. Blaine talked more about school and what his plans for the future were and Burt shared that he was planning to take Carole on vacation as soon as both of them had some free time so Blaine even helped him find vacation spots on his laptop. Kurt remained their favorite topic, but it was nice to change from subject to subject comfortably, too.

That particular Wednesday afternoon, Blaine walked in with the two usual cups of coffee and a frown on his face. He was still thinking about the horrible choreography Mr. Schuester had pushed them to learn on Glee today. The teacher even insisted he was going to use that number for the Locals' competition even though half the club had protested against it. Blaine knew that if Mr. Schue didn't change his mind, there was no point in even dreaming about going to Regionals.

Maybe because he was distracted with his own thoughts it took him a little longer to realize how empty the garage was. Usually, at this time, Burt's employees and Burt himself were working on the last few cars of the day, while the radio was blasting music from behind the counter. But now, the shop was empty. There was no sign of either of the two guys that had worked for Burt for over a decade. Tools had been abandoned on the floor, as if everyone had rushed out of the shop. Blaine frowned even more, but now for an entirely different reason. And then the panic set in.

What if something had happened to Burt? What if he had another heart attack and the guys had to rush him to the hospital? What if it was really bad? What if something happened to Burt while Kurt was away?

Blaine noticed he was having trouble breathing, nervous as he was, and took his cellphone out of his pocket to call Carole. If someone could tell him what was going on, he was sure it was her. But then he heard a voice coming from the back office and he froze again.

A new kind of panic replaced the fear of Burt being hurt. What if someone had sneaked into the office? What if there were thieves there right as Blaine stood in the middle of the garage with two cups of coffee in his hands, completely paralyzed?

The voice rang from the office again, louder this time. "I don't care what you want! I just want you out of here right now!"

It was Burt. It was Burt's voice.

Blaine's feet reacted before his brain had time to, and he found himself almost running towards the back office. Burt sounded upset, nervous, even. Blaine had no idea what was going on, but if Burt was in some kind of trouble, he needed to do something about it.

The door was slightly ajar and he could peek inside, holding his breath. Burt was behind his desk, standing, with his hands gripped firmly on the back of the chair in front of him, his knuckles almost white with how hard he was holding onto it. He was livid, but his face showed how hard he was trying to control his anger. On the other side of the desk, facing him, was a woman.

Her back was to the door, so Blaine couldn't really see who she was, or what she looked like. The only thing he noticed was how slim and tall she was, almost as tall as Burt, and how her thick brunette hair was held in a pony tail that rested on her shoulders.

"Burt, please," she said, pleadingly. "I need you…"

Burt let out a bitter laugh. "Really? You need me? That's funny to hear you to say…"

"You don't understand… if you'd just let me explain…" the woman said, her voice shaking.

"No. I'm not letting you explain because you don't deserve it. You don't deserve to be heard. What you did was…" Burt's hands curled up into fists.

"It didn't mean I didn't love you, Burt! It didn't mean I…" She sounded more and more desperate every time. Blaine realized he was intruding into a very private conversation, but he couldn't move, he couldn't step away. Something held him there, something even stronger than his will.

"Don't. Don't you talk to _me_ about love," Burt interrupted, taking his baseball cap off and throwing it on to the desk. "As if you even know what it's like to love someone! You're totally selfish and I can't believe you dared coming here, into my work place, like this!"

"I didn't know where else to find you," she answered sadly. "I needed to see you. Just five minutes, I promise. You didn't have to send your men home…"

Blaine's thoughts were travelling at the speed of light inside his head. Something was incredibly off about this situation. Who was that woman? She clearly wasn't a customer. Could she be a relative he didn't know about? Maybe a sister, an aunt, a cousin Kurt had never mentioned Burt had?

He finally managed to step aside and decided to leave. It was clearly none of his business what was going on in there and he didn't want Burt to catch him eavesdropping…

But what if Burt had been cheating on Carole? It seemed completely out of character for a man like him, who always put his family first, but… what if he was? Blaine felt an unpleasant sensation in his stomach. He loved Carole. She was like a second mother to him, always so warm and welcoming and loving… just thinking about anyone doing something to upset her, something that could hurt her, made his heart ache.

But… Burt wouldn't do anything like that, right? He would never betray her… he loved Carole. He loved her.

If he loved her… why was he doing this to her?

He heard the door fly open and he startled out of his thoughts. The woman came out of the office, without even noticing him. Her blue eyes were filled with tears and she rushed out of the store as quickly as she could. Blaine realized he had to get out of there as quickly as he could before Burt noticed him…

"Blaine?"

 _Damn_.

Blaine turned around. Burt was standing at the office's doorway, looking at him with wide eyes, the sort of wide eyes that spoke of fear. Blaine had never seen him like that, so shaken, so terrified.

So guilty, caught in something he obviously didn't want Blaine to see.

 _Oh my God, he's really cheating on Carole?_ Blaine thought to himself, desperate. And fuck, he knew he had no right to say anything, to get mad, to get involved, but… he loved Carole. He loved that amazing woman who had had enough of men stomping all over her heart and who should be able to finally be happy. He loved her and, even though he loved Burt, too, right now, he just wanted to ram some sense into that man.

"What are you doing here?" Burt asked, anxiously.

Blaine felt it coming. He tried to hold it back, but he felt it burst out of him anyway. "How can you do this to Carole… to your family? She's a wonderful woman and she loves you so much! I… I can't believe that you, out of all people, would do something like this!"

"Blaine…" Burt's tone was low, almost threatening and Blaine knew he was being absolutely disrespectful, but he couldn't stop.

"Don't tell me it's none of my business and that I should stay out of this, because even though you may be right, I'm not going to do that! I love Carole. She's like a mother to me and she's like a mother to Kurt, to _your_ son. And she's Finn's mother, who I thought you loved like a son, too!"

"Blaine, stop it!" Burt exploded at last. "You really don't know what you're talking about. You're too young to understand and I'm not sharing my private…"

Blaine gasped. One of the coffee cups slipped from his grasp onto the floor, splashing the dark liquid everywhere. He swallowed and looked up at the other man in shock. "You… you're admitting it."

"Of course I'm not!" Burt answered, frustrated, running his hand over his face. "Blaine, please, don't ask any more questions and just leave. I'll see you some other day…"

But Blaine couldn't just leave. He couldn't walk away knowing that something was wrong, that Carole's heart could get broken if his suspicious were true, or that something else, something serious, was happening to Burt. Kurt had asked him to make sure his dad was alright. He couldn't break that promise.

"Burt…" He mumbled, nervously. "I… okay, you don't have to tell me what's going on and if you say you're not… you're not cheating on Carole, then, I believe you."

"I'm not cheating on my wife, Blaine, and this conversation is inappropriate!" Burt said in a scary growl that had Blaine flinching a bit.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, dropping his gaze to the coffee-stained floor.

A tense, long moment of silence stretched between them. Blaine wasn't sure what to do and the reality of what he had accused Burt of doing was finally catching up with him: with just a few stupid words he may have ruined his relationship with his boyfriend's father. He may have ruined everything.

Then the silence was broken by Burt's shuddering breath as he leaned back against the wall. Blaine lifted his eyes up to him. The older man's eyes were closed and the expression on his face was pained. Blaine found himself freaking out again.

"Burt? Are you okay? Should I call an ambulance? Is it your heart?"

In any other circumstances, Burt would've told the kid he was overreacting, that he was turning into an obsessive nut when it came to his health, just like Kurt was. But now… now Burt shook his head weakly and focused on breathing in and out, in and out, until he felt Blaine moving one of the stools from the counter closer so he could take a seat.

"I thought it was over," Burt muttered, still with his eyes closed. Blaine frowned, confused. "I thought that after all these years I didn't have to worry about her anymore…"

Blaine swallowed again, unsure. Should he ask? Burt was talking about it, so he assumed it would be okay to ask… "Who was that woman?"

Burt's green eyes blinked open and Blaine could actually see the despair and anguish in the man's gaze. He held his breath without even knowing he was doing it.

It had been a secret for so many years. So many years of sweeping it under the carpet, under the bed, under all the surfaces so it wouldn't come back and hurt him. So it wouldn't come back and shatter the life he had built with Kurt. And now the past was slapping him right in the face and he realized he couldn't keep it quiet anymore. He needed to tell someone.

Maybe Kurt's boyfriend wasn't the person he had imagined telling his darkest secret to, but he was there and he could be trusted and he clearly cared about their family, so Burt held onto the edges of the stool, looking for strength wherever he could find it and said the words he thought he would never have to say again in his life.

"She is… she's Kurt's mom."


	2. Chapter 2

Blaine was sure that he must have heard wrong. Because it couldn't be possible that Burt had said that the woman that had been standing there not even ten minutes ago was Kurt's mom.

The woman who had died when Kurt was eight years old.

The woman whose grave Kurt had taken Blaine to visit just a few months ago.

"I… I don't understand," Blaine said, weakly.

Burt dropped his face in his hands, trying to control his breathing, but said nothing.

"You mean… that she reminds you of her, right?" Blaine asked tentatively. "Because it can't be… She can't be Kurt's mom…"

"She is," Burt answered in a voice as weak as his.

"But… she died," Blaine started having trouble breathing, too. All of this seemed surreal and impossible.

"No, Blaine," Burt swallowed and looked up, right into the wide hazel eyes staring at him. "She didn't die."

Blaine thought of Kurt. He thought of the boy he loved with everything he had, the boy he had held so often to comfort him because he missed his mother, the boy who had cried while he was kneeling at the cemetery in front of a grave, talking to the woman who had given him his life and introducing his boyfriend to her. He thought of the boy who had once let it slip that, if he ever had a daughter, he wanted to name her after his mom.

Blaine's heart broke and the fury he felt when he believed Burt was cheating on Carole intensified even more. He felt his whole body vibrating, rage coming up his throat, rushing through his veins, raising the hairs on his skin.

"How could you do this to Kurt?" He screamed. In an instant he forgot how much he cared about the man sitting in front of him, how much he respected him and loved him like a father. "You should know better than anyone how hurt he's been without his mom! How could you lie to him like this?"

Burt buried his face in his hands once again, feeling more exhausted than he had felt in years. "Blaine… you don't understand. And this has nothing to do with you. Let me handle this my way…"

"No! No, I'm not keeping my head down and shutting my mouth about this!" Blaine hammered his fist on the counter, needing to release some of the tension. "I might not have said anything about you cheating on Carole, because that really is none of my business… but I'm not lying to Kurt about this!"

"Blaine, please…" Burt stood up, with a little difficulty and took a few steps towards the boy, but Blaine moved back, maintaining the distance back between them. "You can't tell him. It's going to kill him…"

A few tears trickled down Blaine's cheeks. Just thinking about the pain his boyfriend would go through, the confusion, the feeling of betrayal made him sick… but could he really not tell Kurt his mom was alive? Could he lie to him like that? No. He couldn't.

"I love Kurt too much to do this to him," Blaine choked a bit, but stood firmly, facing Burt, letting him know that he was not wimping out, that he was not going to follow any orders to lie. "It's better to feel pain because of the truth than to be in the dark. And if he's hurt by learning you liked to him, I'm going to be right there with him and I'll help him get through it. But I won't lie."

Burt held Blaine's gaze and the part of him that wasn't terrified about what was currently happening was overwhelmed with gratitude for the boy standing there in the middle of his tire shop. Blaine was the best thing to ever happen to Kurt. it was so obvious that Blaine loved his son more than anyone else could ever love him… knowing his son could count on him, no matter what, was a relief he hadn't felt in years.

"I had to lie, Blaine," he confessed, at last, speaking low, almost shyly. "I did this for Kurt."

"What are you talking about?" Blaine shook his head, still confused.

"She abandoned us!" Burt's voice burst out louder, as if he couldn't hold it anymore. "She just woke up one morning and decided she had had enough. She never wanted a simple life. She was made for greater things, just like Kurt is. He has the same dreams she had: she wanted fame, big cities, a bigger life…"

Blaine didn't realize his legs were giving out until he felt himself falling on the stool nearest him. "So… are you saying she abandoned you because she wanted to be famous?"

"Yes," Burt nodded slowly. He sighed shakily. "How could I tell my eight year old son that his mother thought having a career in Hollywood was more important than staying home with her family?"

Blaine was speechless. This definitely wasn't what he expected when he came into the garage just a few minutes ago.

"I can't… I can't believe she did that," Blaine breathed out heavily, his eyes fixed on a random spot behind Burt.

"Kurt… Kurt was unexpected," Burt sat down beside Blaine on another stool. "Katherine wanted to have kids, but she thought she was still too young. At first, she wanted to end the pregnancy, but I think she didn't do it because she knew it would kill me. She had to drop out of college and forget about her dreams and it was too much for her…"

Blaine's heart ached when he realized that a world where Kurt had never been born had been a possibility. That it had been very close to being a reality. He couldn't imagine a world where Kurt didn't make his life worth living.

"We fought about it. I knew she was unhappy," Burt explained, and he sounded distant, as if he was lost in thought. "She was always amazing with Kurt, though. I never imagined she would just pack her stuff and leave one day. And then one afternoon I went home from the garage for lunch and there was a note waiting for me. Kurt arrived from school before I had time to understand what was really happening and I panicked. I couldn't tell him that she had abandoned him and I didn't even realize what I'd said until after I said it. And then I couldn't take it back. I couldn't tell him, hey, I'm kidding, your mom's not really dead…"

Blaine had always seen Burt as the strongest man he had ever met. But now, he looked smaller, depleted, as if he was crumbling around the edges.

Awkwardly, Blaine put a hand on the man's shoulder. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have yelled at you, Burt…"

Burt shook his head, swallowing hard again. "It's okay, kid. It's comforting knowing someone cares about Kurt as much as I do."

There was a pause. A question was nagging at the back of Blaine's mind and he just had to let it out. "Can I ask you why she came back?"

"I'm not sure. I think she wants to see Kurt," Burt shrugged, as if he didn't care. "I don't think things went the way she planned and now she probably wants to rebuild things with him or something… but I'm not letting her see him. There's no way I'll let her hurt him again. When the divorce decree was final I decided she was out of our lives forever."

The hand Blaine still was resting on Burt's shoulder dropped down limply. "Burt..."

"No. I know what you're going to say, Blaine," Burt stood up abruptly and walked away a few steps. "And I can't. I won't. I can't tell Kurt the truth…"

"He's living a lie," Blaine said sadly. "He's still grieving for a woman that didn't love him enough to stay with him. He regularly visits a grave that's _empty_. What if he ever finds out? Do you want him to hear it from someone else? He wouldn't ever forgive you. Not if you don't give him the reasons why you did it, at least."

Burt sat, defeated, his arms hanging limp at his sides, miserably. "How is it possible that you're so much more mature than me about this?"

"Because you're scared? And you have every right to be, I don't blame you," Blaine sighed. "I know why you did it. It was wrong, but I can understand it."

Burt ran his hand over his head, nervously. "I guess I can't ask you to keep this from him. It's not fair to you."

Blaine nodded slowly. "Yeah. Kurt and I are always honest with each other, even when it's hard."

Burt walked back into the office to retrieve his baseball cap. When he came back, he looked at Blaine with resignation. "Okay. I'll do it. I'll tell him the truth… but I need some time. I can't tell him this over the phone and I need to find a way to ease into it."

Blaine knew he couldn't push this any further, so he agreed, even though he was sure it was going to be a real challenge to hide this from Kurt until his father was ready to talk to him.

Blaine suddenly missed the much simpler, Glee-related problems he had had before stepping into the garage that day.

* * *

"You're awfully quiet tonight. Is everything alright?"

Blaine looked up from his History book. Kurt's face, though a little blurry because of the lack of light, showed his concern. Blaine wanted to reach out and touch him, but he knew his fingers would only find the hard, cold screen of his laptop resting on his bed, next to him.

"Just tired," he answered, shrugging.

"You look like something's bothering you," Kurt tilted his head to the side and examined his boyfriend carefully. "Is someone being a jerk to you at school?"

"No, school is as boring as it has ever been," Blaine sighed. His conversation with Burt the previous day was flashing back in his mind, but he tried to push it back. "I just… I miss you so much."

Kurt's expression softened into a sad smile. "I miss you, too."

"It's great that we try to keep things as normal as we can, doing homework together or going through our skin care routines over the phone each night like we always did… but it's not enough. I can't reach out and touch you or kiss you or…" Gosh, Blaine was a mess. He had been an emotional wreck since the previous afternoon and he knew he couldn't hide what he felt from Kurt for too long. His boyfriend could read him like an open book. "I'm sorry. I know I shouldn't complain, I know this only makes things harder, but… I can't help it. I'm not adjusting nearly as well as I thought I would."

Kurt groaned miserably on the other end of the connection. "Oh, Blaine. You're making me want to go back to Lima. I've never thought I'd want that. Ever."

Blaine buried his face on his pillow. "I shouldn't have said anything. I'm only making this harder for you."

"No, it's okay. You're being honest," Kurt gave him a little smile. "It's important that we're always honest, even when it's difficult."

Blaine's stomach clenched painfully and he looked away from the screen so Kurt couldn't see his eyes. He had promised Burt to give him some time to decide how he would tell Kurt the truth. He couldn't do what his instincts screamed at him to do. He couldn't tell him himself.

"Why don't we finish our homework and then we can watch a movie together? I'll let you pick," Kurt beamed sweetly and Blaine melted. He always melted when Kurt smiled.

They kept working in a companionable silence for about another half an hour, before finally picking out a movie. Blaine scruched his eyes closed, trying to imagine Kurt was right there with him instead of at the other end of a computer screen, but not even that, not even the dogged concentration required to pretend there was a dip in the bed next to him, or that he could feel the warmth of his boyfriend's body, was enough to distract him from the uneasiness that had settled inside of him.

* * *

Burt was sitting at the kitchen table when Carole arrived home from work on Saturday evening. It was her last shift of the week, so she entered her home with a relaxed smile on her face, hoping for a nice dinner with her husband and maybe going to bed relatively early.

She definitely wasn't expecting the hollow expression in Burt's eyes as he pointed to the seat across from him with a quiet "sit down, please" after she kissed his cheek.

"Is everything alright?" She asked immediately, concerned. "Did the boys call? Are they okay? Or is it Blaine?"

"The boys are fine," Burt assured her. "It's not about them. But something has happened."

She held her breath, waiting, a million possibilities flashing through her mind.

"Kurt's mom came to see me this week," Burt finally said.

Carole blinked, letting the words hang in the air for a few seconds. "Kurt's… I don't… What are you talking about?"

Carole went through the possibilities, taking off the list anything that could be linked to catastrophic diseases or divorces. She chose the option that seemed to suit the situation best: Burt was suffering from separation anxiety now that Kurt was in New York, so he had been dreaming about his late wife.

With a sad smile, Carole leaned over the table to grab his hand. "Burt, sweetheart, missing Kurt is completely normal. I get it. I miss Finn, too, and I wish Christopher was here to see his son going to college, too, but…"

"No, Carole," he interrupted, his voice tight, as he retrieved his hand. "I'm not hallucinating or anything like that. Katherine didn't die."

Carole stayed silent so Burt used the opportunity to spill the truth before he chickened out. He told her everything, without leaving any details out. By the time he was done, he was holding his head in his hands in despair. After all these years, he still couldn't believe this was his life, that he had ended up in such a tangled mess. He hated it doing this to her.

He waited for Carole to shake out of her trance and hold him in her arms and tell him how much of an idiot he had been for doing what he did, for complicating everything so much. He waited for Carole to say something, to assure him that things would be alright…

But Carole didn't move. Her eyes were fixed on him, but he wasn't sure if she was actually seeing him.

"Carole…" Burt whispered, swallowing with difficulty.

"You told me she died…" Carole mumbled then, still completely lost in her own thoughts.

"I know I did. I was trying to protect Kurt, I didn't want to…"

"I told you everything. The minute we started dating, I told you everything about Finn's father, how he died, I…" She stood abruptly. "Burt… how could you lie to me about this?"

Burt didn't have an answer. He didn't know why he hadn't told Carole. Maybe because, after so many years of living a life in where Katherine was dead… well, maybe he had started believing it was true, too.

But that made no sense and he couldn't say that to his wife. He just looked at her, sadness taking over his features.

"I need… I need a moment," Carole turned around to leave the kitchen. "I'm going to take a shower."

And then she was gone, walking away, leaving him alone, and Burt didn't want to think of Carole leaving him behind the same way Katherine had.

He wasn't sure he could take it if he lost her too.

* * *

His life was good. He had to admit that it felt wonderful that, for the first time in his life, he could walk down the streets without being stared at in disgust, as if he didn't belong there. Kurt Hummel _belonged_ in New York so naturally that no one could've ever believed he came from the small town of Lima, Ohio.

Despite having to live with Finn (which he was used to, but their dorm room was _much_ smaller than the house they had shared with their parents and it was appalling how fast Finn could pervade everything with the particularly awful smell of his socks and sweaty t-shirts), there wasn't much he could complain about. He was happy and he felt free and he felt…

Lonely. He felt so awfully lonely.

His shining happiness was tarnished by the darkness of Blaine's absence. The distance was too much to bear sometimes and most nights he fell asleep hugging his pillow tightly and burying his face in it, trying to pretend it was his boyfriend, but unable to. He cried himself to sleep (which wasn't doing his skin any good, thank you very much) and his cellphone had practically become part of his anatomy, afraid as he was that he might miss a vital call or text message from Blaine.

As much as he was enjoying college life and the city and the wonderful freedom he felt there… he wanted this year over as soon as possible, so Blaine could finally join him. because yes, New York was beautiful and he loved the way the leaves falling from the trees decorated its streets, the sounds and the sights and the little coffee shops, but it all seemed colorless without Blaine there holding his hand and experiencing it all with him.

Sometimes, when Finn's snores were the loudest he'd ever heard them, when he was sure his brother wasn't paying any attention to him, when he felt a void in his chest that he would have to endure for too many hours, too many days, too many months, Kurt secretly considered going back to the life he had known.

* * *

Burt had fallen asleep on the couch. After Carole had gone upstairs, he decided to give her space, to let her come to him, to give her time for the information to sink in.

He woke up the next morning, aching from the awkward position he had slept in all night. His feet were cold from hanging off the end of the couch. Not as cold as his heart felt, though.

But then a hand came to rest on his cheek and he noticed Carole sitting on the coffee table. She had dark shadows under her eyes and she cluthed a steaming mug. The faltering smile that she gave him was far from the usual cheerful, loving ones, but it was still a smile.

"I get it," she said, when Burt just blinked at her in confusion for a few seconds. "I don't think what you did was right, Burt, but I get it."

He swallowed and just kept looking at her. He was almost waiting for his wife to say something terrible, to tell him she couldn't be married to him anymore…

"It's all about protecting them, in the end," Carole muttered and her gaze fell on a picture of Kurt and Finn that they had taken last summer. "We do whatever it takes to make sure they can be happy."

Burt nodded slowly. "Kurt was all I cared about when I told him that… that Katherine…"

"No more lies," she cut him off, sharply, but a lot softer than the night before. "I can't take any more lies."

Burt nodded once again, keeping his eyes fastened to hers, hoping she could read in them that he really, really meant it.

"Is there anything else I should know?" Carole asked, taking a deep breath.

"No. That's my only secret," Burt assured her.

Silence fell between them and Burt held his breath, as if he was waiting for a verdict.

Carole finally extended the coffee mug for him to take. "I'll make breakfast and we can talk then."

Relief flooded Burt for a minute, before he remembered that Carole knowing about it didn't really solve anything.

The worst was yet to come.

* * *

Blaine used his own key to get into the Hummel-Hudson house (he was immensely proud that he had been given his own and it hadn't even been from Kurt. It had been _Burt_ who gave it to him) and stepped into the quiet hallway. He had gotten a call from Carole to let him know that she was going to be a little late because there had been an emergency at the hospital and Burt was stuck at the garage with a vehicle that was giving him some trouble, so they were running a little late for Friday night dinner.

"You can go home and wait for us if you want, sweetheart, or you can just have dinner with your parents tonight," Carole had said. "We can always reschedule."

"It's fine, really," Blaine had answered. He was already halfway to their place anyway. "I'll start dinner, if you don't mind. Kurt gave me a recipe that I've been meaning to try, so I can have everything ready by the time you guys are home."

He could almost hear her smile through the phone. "That sounds lovely, Blaine. I'll see you in a couple of hours, then."

He took off his coat and scarf and hang them in the closet by the door, leaving his bag there, too. He fished his cellphone out of his pocket as he moved to the kitchen, deciding to doublecheck the recipe with Kurt just to make sure he didn't screw it up.

To Kurt:

_Hey :) I'm at your parent's house and I'm about to make dinner. I was thinking about trying that chicken you were telling me about the other day?_

It only took two minutes for Kurt to reply, barely giving Blaine time to thoroughly wash his hands.

From Kurt:

_That's amazing. I actually gave you that recipe so you would take the hint and cook a romantic dinner for me when I'm back._

Blaine couldn't help the smile that spread all over his face.

To Kurt:

_Then I'd better start practicing so I can make it perfectly. Any tips I should know?_

He had just put the phone down on the counter and was about to start looking for the pan and the ingredients he needed when he heard the door bell ringing. Having no idea who it could be, he walked back to the entry hall and pulled the front door opened.

He wasn't expecting to find himself looking into a too familiar pair of blue eyes that had a fleck of gray, green and even yellow around the iris. The skin he found himself staring at was pale and smooth and even the lips looked the same… but these were painted in a pink shade and the chestnut hair was too long.

"Hi," Katherine Hummel said, grabbing the strap of her purse tightly. "I'm looking for Burt?"

Blaine could hear the phone buzzing from the kitchen, or maybe it was his own ears. Having her so close, talking to him, looking back at him… it just made everything so much more real.

He must have been staring at her for too long, because she frowned slightly and seemed even more nervous.

"Burt… isn't here," Blaine answered. He noticed he was gripping the doorknob hard enough to hurt his hand. "He's still at work."

Katherine sighed. "Could you give him a message?"

Blaine's throat felt dry. He had seen this woman before, but now it was different. Now he knew who she was and what she wanted. And what she had done.

"No, I'm sorry," Blaine said as politely as usual. She looked shocked. "I don't think you should come back again. He'll get in touch with you when he thinks it's the right time."

Katherine tilted her head to the side. "Who are you? Are you his stepson?"

"No," Blaine shook his head. A rush of protectiveness seemed to surge through him. He straightened up. "I'm Kurt's boyfriend."

Something seemed to flash behind those eyes that reminded him so, so much of Kurt's. "Kurt's boyfriend?"

"Exactly," Blaine nodded. "That's something you'd know if you hadn't abandoned him. Now, please leave."

He tried to close the door, but she put a hand firmly against it to stop him. "Please, wait. I want to… I want to talk to Kurt."

Blaine laughed humorlessly. "Good for you. But you're a few years late."

Katherine kept her hand firmly against the door, not letting Blaine close it. "Look… I know that what I did was wrong, but I… I need to talk to him. There's something important I need to tell him." She started digging into her purse with her free hand until she found a piece of paper with something scribbled on it. "This is where I'm staying. Give me a chance to explain. Burt won't and I… I know I don't deserve it, but I think he'd want to hear what I have to say."

Blaine took the paper, hesitantly and, after staring at the address and the phone number on it for a couple of seconds, he shoved it in his pocket. "Okay. Can you leave now?"

She swallowed, but nodded. "Yes. Thank you."

Blaine closed the door before she even finished turning around.

* * *

The piece of paper was on the bedside table and Blaine couldn't help but glance at it every now and then while he sat on his bed doing homework. It seemed to taunt him when he was on the phone with Kurt and more than once he found himself studying Katherine's handwriting. Even the way she wrote reminded him of Kurt and that made his heart ache. The curve of their S was so similar and they did the same little tail on every A.

Gosh, he missed his boyfriend.

But, most importantly, having this piece of paper, this piece of information, this truth in his hands made him feel weird and uneasy. Why was Katherine so determined to find Kurt and talk to him? Why now? Why not a few months earlier when she would've been able to find him at home the same way she had found Blaine? Why not when he was still little, when he had needed her the most, when she should have been there?

Blaine had so many questions that seemed to overwhelm him. He'd thought Mrs. Hummel was only a painful memory, someone to visit on Mother's Day at the cemetery, someone to hear wonderful stories about, stories of how kind and beautiful she had been. Not this. Not this ghost that had come back to haunt them.

Not this lie that could tear Kurt's life apart.

* * *

Something was wrong with Blaine.

Usually, Kurt would text him and his boyfriend would answer in just a couple of minutes (five if he was in class, or in the shower). Blaine was also always logged on Skype, even when he was doing his homework or watching TV or at Tina's house watching a movie. He didn't want to miss any opportunity to talk to Kurt, knowing they both had such different schedules now.

But lately, Blaine was nowhere to be found. His text messages were vague and he was always too busy to be on Skype. When they talked on the phone now he was distant and distracted and Kurt was starting to feel desperate. What if Blaine was tired of him? What if the long distance thing wasn't working out? What if he'd found someone else who could hold Blaine's hand, who didn't have to send him kisses through a computer's screen?

Kurt felt sick from thinking he could be losing what he cared about the most. Sprawled on his bed with textbooks everywhere, he looked down at the mess and wondered if this dream, the New York dream, the college dream wasn't taking away the one dream that mattered more than all of the others.

* * *

His hands were shaking. He gripped the steering wheel even tighter though he had already parked the car. He needed something to anchor him, to make him feel like he wasn't about to stumble into something completely wrong.

Blaine opened the door and climbed out, staring up at the old building. The walls needed some painting and some of the windows were dirty. The Lima Motel sign hung above the office's door, crooked and worn by time and weather, some of the letters a bit faded. He looked down at the paper in his hand just to check the address once more. It was the right place.

He climbed the creaky stairs to the second floor. Sounds of television and voices came to him from the different rooms. The one he was looking for, 2C, had a little dent on the dark green door, right under the doorknob. Blaine took a deep breath before knocking softly.

"Just a minute!" Came a voice from the inside and Blaine recognized it immediately. He wasn't sure he'd be able to forget it.

He thought about turning around and running away. Being there felt like a violation, a violation of Burt's trust, of his privacy… and Kurt. If Kurt knew what was going on…

But wasn't Blaine's first priority to protect Kurt? And wasn't he protecting the man he loved by trying to find out what this woman wanted with him? Katherine Hummel had the power to bring Kurt's life crashing to the ground and Blaine wanted to make sure she didn't. He wanted to make sure she would stay away if her intentions weren't good.

The door opened before he had time to finish his line of thought. Katherine had her hair up in a ponytail and was wearing a shirt that had obviously belonged to a man, because it was entirely too big on her. The sleeves were rolled up to her elbows and for a second, Blaine looked at her and realized she was beautiful. She really was a mirror of what Kurt was, but older, feminine and somehow worn by the years almost as much as the building she lived in.

"Hello," her eyes went wide when she saw him and Blaine fidgeted with his own hands. "You came."

"Yes." He nodded, awkwardly. "I think you and I need to talk."

Katherine forced a smile on her face. "You caught me just in time. I was about to leave and see Burt again to…"

"I don't think that's a good idea," Blaine cut off.

She blinked, confused. "Oh."

"Can I come in?" Blaine asked, as politely as he could. The air was chilly and he had forgotten his scarf in the car.

"Of course, yes, yes," she moved aside to let him in.

Blaine stood in the middle of the room. It was small and tacky. The red carpet looked dirty and there was a bit of mildrew on one of the walls. The television set seemed old and the bed, uncomfortable.

"You didn't tell me your name," Katherine muttered from behind him, where she was still standing by the door, now closed.

"Blaine," he said, but he didn't extend his hand for her to shake. He didn't know why, but he had the feeling that, if he touched her, she would be real. Very, very real.

Katherine watched him for a few seconds with those eyes he knew so well. "And why do you think I shouldn't go see Burt? I know you think you know what's going on, but this is complicated and Burt and I…"

"He can't get stressed," Blaine answered and he felt like begging her to please, please not cause any stress to Burt. "He had a heart attack a couple of years ago."

His words apparently affected Katherine, who looked worried. "I didn't know that."

"Why would you?" Blaine shrugged and he felt so out of character. He wasn't the kind of guy who talked to adults like that. And he hadn't imagined he would ever talk to Kurt's mom, out of all people, like this. Well, he hadn't imagined he would ever talk to Kurt's mom, period.

Katherine sighed and leaned back against the wall. "I get it. You're mad at me for what I did to Kurt…"

"And Burt," he interrupted. "They are both wonderful men who didn't deserve to have you walk away from them like you did. Didn't you think your little boy would need you? Didn't you think he would need a mother to help him when he was growing up? Kurt's had a hard life and you're the only one who could've made him less miserable."

"What do you mean, he's had a hard life?"

Blaine looked at her, incredulous. "Are you really asking me that? We're talking about a boy who had to grow up without his mother, a boy who grew up in a homophobic town that constantly brought him down and told him he wasn't good enough, that who he is, is a sin. You can't even imagine how broken he was when we first met. He was bullied every day and he was threatened to be killed. He was scared to even get out of bed every morning."

Katherine closed her eyes to hold the tears back. Blaine felt furious. She didn't have the right to look pained after abandoning him. She should've been there to kiss him goodnight every single night, to hold him close when he cried because of the bullying, to sooth the bruises on his back after being shoved against a locker.

Blaine realized it had been a mistake, coming here. She didn't deserve to be a part of Kurt's life. She had missed that train already.

"This is pointless," he shook his head in disappointment. "Just stop looking for Kurt, stop looking for Burt and leave them alone. They've had to deal with enough already."

He moved towards the door, deciding that it was better for him to leave, but Katherine cried out in desperation.

"No, no, wait, Blaine, please…" she begged. "You have to tell me where Kurt is. I need to talk to him. There's so much he needs to know, so much I need to tell him and I…"

Her words were interrupted by a soft cry that grew in intensity in a matter of seconds. Blaine's eyebrows shot up to his hairline and his hazel eyes fell on a crib he hadn't noticed before on the opposite wall. Katherine immediately moved away from the door and Blaine followed her with his gaze. When she picked up a crying baby and pressed it against her chest, he swore he felt his heart stopping. The shushing, calming noises she was making sounded like screams in his ears and he had difficulty breathing.

"Don't cry, baby, don't cry, it's okay," she cooed lovingly.

Blaine felt the air abandoning his lungs at the sight of the baby in Katherine's arms. The little girl had the same hair and the same stunning eyes as both Katherine and Kurt, which only meant…

"Do you want to meet Blaine?" Katherine asked with a little smile, kissing the girl's temple. "Do you want to meet your brother's boyfriend?"

"No…" Blaine took a step back. "This can't be happening…"

"Blaine…" Katherine gave him a look that was filled with anxiety. "Please, don't leave. Please."

"I can't believe this!" Blaine cried in frustration, his hands flying up to his hair. "First his mother is not dead and now he has a sister! I can't do this!"

"Blaine, calm down…" she said, quietly.

"Calm down? Do you know how hard this is? Kurt and I have a deal, okay? We're completely honest with each other, that's the basis of our relationship. It's what hold us together!" Blaine screamed, and he knew he was freaking out, but he couldn't stop. "You may have been able to abandon him, but I can't live without Kurt and I'm not letting you or anyone else threaten what we built with so much…!"

"I'm dying!" Katherine blurted out suddenly, effectively causing Blaine to go silent. She started crying. "I'm… I'm sick, Blaine."

Blaine swallowed, his eyes were wide and his heart was still pounding hard. "W-what do you mean you're sick?"

Katherine sat on the edge of the bed, settling the girl on her lap and rocking her softly. "I… when I was pregnant, they discovered I had leukimia. The pregnancy was already advanced and I didn't want to put the baby's life in risk with the treatment so I made the doctors wait… and by the time Kara was born, it was too already late to do anything…"

Blaine gripped the edge of a dresser to hold himself up. "Late?" He repeated, dumbly.

Katherine nodded very slowly. "I have two or three months, tops."

This wasn't supposed to happen. This was all wrong. Blaine was supposed to be living in Lima bored out of his mind during his senior year and waiting for time to pass so he could go to New York with his beautiful boyfriend. The biggest concern in his mind was supposed to be Glee club and getting to nationals and making sure the coffee he bought for Burt was decaf and keeping Carole away from all the clothing stores on Kurt's black list… but not this.

Never this.

"That's why you're so keen on seeing Kurt," Blaine whispered, exhaling shakily. "Because you're…"

"I want to make things right," Katherine leaned her head against the top of her daughter's. "Leaving Kurt behind is my biggest regret and if I'm going to die I don't want to have any unfinished business."

Blaine closed his eyes and tried to process the information, but it was too much to take in so fast. "Does… does Burt know?"

"No," Katherine sighed. "He didn't give me the chance to say anything."

When he opened his eyes again, they immediately fell on the little girl that was playing with her own feet, happily oblivious to what her mother was going through. She looked so much like Kurt… Blaine's mind moved on its own accord and he was suddenly imagining their apartment in New York, in a few years, gold bands in their fingers and a beautiful baby just like Kara that looked a lot like Kurt sitting with them as they tried to get her to say daddy and papa.

"I just want to say goodbye, Blaine," Katherine muttered and her eyes were filled with tears. "I just want to see my son one last time."

Blaine should've said that all of this would be too traumatic for Kurt. He should've said that if she hadn't abandoned him, she would've had more than just a goodbye. He should've said a million things.

He didn't.

"I'll see what I can do," he replied, and his gaze was still fixed on Kurt's baby sister.


	3. Chapter 3

Blaine's stomach was twisting into painful knots by the time he got home. He quickly climbed the stairs up to his room and dropped face first onto the bed.

What was he going to do? How was it possible that he had ended up getting even more involved with Katherine? He couldn't lie to Kurt. He would start suspecting something was wrong soon. And Blaine didn't want to imagine what Kurt would say if he found out that Blaine already knew about his mom and hadn't told him.

Oh, God, what if Kurt broke up with him when he found out Blaine had been hiding the truth from him?

His bedroom's door opened slightly and his mother peeked inside, frowning. "Oh, Blaine, dear, I thought I'd heard you… What's wrong?" She stopped as soon as she noticed the expression on Blaine's face.

Blaine shook his head, but he was incapable of producing any sound, because all that wanted to escape from his mouth were sobs.

"Blaine!" Amelia Anderson crossed the few steps that separated them and sat on the bed next to her son, quickly pulling him into her arms. Blaine had to resist the impulse to crawl onto her lap and cling to her like a child. "Please, talk to me."

Blaine was shaking so violently that he had no other choice but to cry. He fisted his mother's dress in his hands and dropped his forehead on her shoulder. "I-I can't lose Kurt, mom," he sobbed. "I c-can't lose him."

"Darling," she sighed sadly, rubbing his back soothingly. "Why would you say that? Kurt loves you very much. Are you two having trouble?"

Blaine sniffed. "Not yet."

Amelia smiled softly. "Worry much, do we?" She said in a sweet voice. "I know this long-distance thing is hard, but…"

"You don't understand," Blaine wiped his tears away furiously as he backed off from his mother's hold. "It's much more complicated than that…"

Amelia studied him in silence for a few seconds, taking in the sight of her son, his red-rimmed eyes and the desperation tainting his features. "Should I be worried about anything here, Blaine?"

"No, unless he decides he can't be with me," Blaine reached for the pillow on the left side of the bed, the one where Kurt used to sleep before he left. "What if he doesn't forgive me?"

"I don't understand, dear…" Amelia kept rubbing his back, confused. "What did you do?"

But Blaine couldn't say more. The words got choked in his throat and he just cried bitterly, holding onto his mother, until he ended up exhausted and falling asleep.

* * *

When Blaine woke up, it was already dark outside and he felt confused for a moment, not even remembering how he had gotten to his bed. But when his brain caught up with his memories, he felt his stomach twitching in anxiety.

He wished he could fall asleep again.

A little glow coming from his bedside table got his attention and he reached to grab his phone. He had four missed calls and six texts. They were all from Kurt.

_From: Kurt._

_Hey, sweetie. Everything alright? Are you busy?_

_From: Kurt._

_You're starting to worry me. You never take this long to pick up your phone. Is something wrong?_

_From: Kurt._

_Blaine. Please._

_From: Kurt._

_I'm worried._

_From: Kurt._

_Blaine, we need to talk._

That last one shot a pain straight to Blaine's chest. He didn't like the sound of that and he felt tempted to keep ignoring the messages and missed phone calls, but he knew it would only make things worse.

Kurt picked up after the first tone. "Blaine?"

"Hi, Kurt," he said softly.

"Oh my god, I was so worried. Are you okay?" He asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I just fell asleep," Blaine answered.

There was a silence and Blaine didn't want it to be filled. He didn't want to know what Kurt might say next…

"Blaine…"

"Maybe we should talk more tomorrow," Blaine cut him off, nervously. "I'm tired and I want to go back to sleep and…"

"Just say it," Kurt burst out suddenly and Blaine could hear he was on the verge of tears. "If you want to break up with me, just go ahead and say it, Blaine."

Hearing Kurt saying those words was like being slapped in the face. He was left breathless just by the thought of it, so imagining a reality in which that would come true was completely out of the question.

"No. Never," Blaine replied, almost whining. "Kurt, I'll never break up with you."

"Then what is it?" Kurt was actually crying now and Blaine cursed the distance between them, wishing he could wrap his arms around his boyfriend. "You've been so different lately. So distant and remote and I just… I can't deal with this, Blaine. I'm not there with you and it's killing me…"

"I'm sorry," Blaine started crying, too, because what else could he do? He couldn't even recognize his life anymore. Everything had changed, everything was wrong. "I miss you so much…"

"Should I come back?" Kurt muttered, sniffling. "Say the word and I'll leave everything behind to go back to Ohio, Blaine. We can come back here together next year…"

"What? No! Kurt, I would never ask you to do something like that," Blaine wiped his tears away. "I know maybe this is a little harder than we expected it to be, but I'm confident we can do it. If you dropped out of college for me, I'd never forgive myself. I can't be the one to keep you from your dreams…"

"Blaine, you're my dream," Kurt whispered and Blaine's heart melted inside his chest. "Only you."

If Blaine didn't feel guilty before, he sure did now. How would he tell Kurt about Katherine and Kara? And how would he do that without betraying Burt?

"I love you so much," he said, because it was the only thing he was certain of.

"I love you, too, Blaine."

They both stayed silent for a moment, simply breathing together and letting the desperation and fear wash away, although Blaine was still fighting a different kind of fear, the kind that kept telling him that as soon as Kurt discovered that he had been hiding the truth from him, he would leave him. Inevitably, Kurt would feel betrayed and wan to break up with him.

And still, he couldn't just tell him. Knowing he had absolutely no choice in how the whole thing with Kurt's mom was handled, only made it all worse. They hung up after once again saying they loved each other, but they both knew nothing had been solved.

* * *

That constant pressure in his chest was going to end up killing him, he knew.

Blaine couldn't be honest with Kurt, not yet.

But he could be honest with Burt.

* * *

Burt placed a mug in front of Blaine at the kitchen table before taking his seat. Blaine looked down at the dark liquid swirling in his cup and felt his stomach tighten. It was a mix of everything: missing Kurt, the huge secret hanging over their heads, knowing that all that bonding he had done with Burt was hanging by a very thin thread. Blaine felt as if he was standing in the middle of nowhere with absolutely no idea which direction to go, how to go back to where he felt safest, deserving Kurt's love and trust.

"You haven't been coming in to the garage lately," Burt commented after a few minutes of silence while Blaine kept staring at his coffee without drinking it. "Too much school work?"

Blaine finally glanced up, his hazel eyes meeting Burt's. "You know that's not the reason."

Burt sighed. "Look, Blaine, you already gave me your opinion and I appreciate how much you want to protect Kurt, but you need to let me take care of this problem on…"

"I saw her," Blaine interrupted before he was able to stop himself. Burt blinked at him. There wasn't any confusion on his face. Burt knew exactly what he was talking about. "She came here that Friday I arrived earlier than you and Carole."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Burt frowned, but other than that, his emotions were completely impossible to read.

"I didn't want you to stress about it," Blaine explained. He pushed his mug away. There was no use in pretending he could actually swallow anything right now. "Kurt counts on me to keep an eye on you…"

"I'm not a kid, Blaine," Burt shook his head, half tiredly, half affectionately. "You and Kurt need to relax." There was a pause and then Burt spoke again. "What did she say?"

"She gave me her information so I could contact her," Blaine fidgeted a bit in his seat. He wasn't anxious to see the disappointment on Burt's face when he told him he had actually gone see her. "She said she really needed to talk to Kurt."

"Well, you should stay well away from her," Burt said firmly. "Forget about her and try to focus on school. I'll talk to Kurt when I think it's necessary."

"I actually went to see her," Blaine replied nervously. He saw Burt stilling across the table, felt his gaze on him, but he wasn't able to met his eyes. Not yet. "She's staying at a little motel on the outskirts of Lima."

The silence in the kitchen weighed heavily. Blaine suddenly remembered how many beautiful moments he had spent here in the Hummel's kitchen. Mornings cooking breakfast with Kurt; Friday night dinners with the entire family gathered around the table; afternoons of watching Finn annoying Kurt until he would finally agree to make him something to eat; evenings where he stood at the counter between Carole and Kurt and helped them with dinner. He always felt so welcome, always felt at home here, the same way he did when he was around his boyfriend, surrounded by his wonderful scent that Blaine was sometimes worried about forgetting while Kurt was away.

"Why did you do that?" Burt asked quietly, and it felt as painful as if he had yelled. The disappointment had settled in his voice already.

Blaine took a deep breath. "She seemed keen on trying to contact you again and I didn't want her to. Even if you don't like us to, we worry about your health and you don't need to go through something like that argument you had with her at the shop again." He stopped for a moment and forced himself to look at Burt. "And, if I have to be honest, I needed to understand, too. I know you think it doesn't have anything to do with me, but this is about Kurt. I need to make sure I do everything I can to prevent him from being hurt."

Something shifted in Burt's expression, something very simmilar to fond exasperation. "Sometimes you make it really hard for people to get mad at you, kid. You know exactly what to say."

"Well, the thing is… I'm at a point where I don't think I care about people being mad at me or not," Blaine shrugged. "I just want to do what's right to protect Kurt."

"Don't let her get to you, though," Burt stood up and took Blaine's still full cup and his own to the sink. "She'll get bored trying to ruin our lives and leave, eventually."

Blaine stared sadly at the fridge, at some pictures being held by magnets. There was one of Kurt and him with their cheeks pressed together that he had always loved. "I don't think she's trying to ruin anyone's life, actually."

He could almost hear Burt rolling his eyes at him. "Blaine, you don't know her. She is…"

"She's dying," Blaine interrupted and his voice was barely audible over the noise of the water running in the sink, but the clash of a mug hitting the bottom of it when it slipped out of Burt's hold told him he had been heard.

Burt turned to look at him with his eyes wide and incredulous. Blaine forced himself to try and repeat what Katherine had told him.

"Why would you believe her?" Burt asked and it was obvious he was looking for a flaw in what Blaine had said, for anything that could prove that Katherine was lying.

"Because I saw the absolute pain and desperation in her eyes when she said she wanted to talk to her son one last time. Because she's obviously devastated that she's going to die when Kara is still so little," Blaine whispered, the image of the beautiful baby girl causing pain to shot through his heart.

"Kara?" Burt repeated without understanding.

Blaine held his eyes for a moment, as he nodded. "Kurt has a baby sister."

He expected lots of different reactions from Burt. He didn't expect him to storm out the door without another word.

* * *

A few days passed. Blaine tried to live his life as he normally would if everything wasn't so messed up. He had a sleep over with Tina, Artie, Sugar and Rory and tried to laugh as much as he could. He had spectacularly good Skype sex with Kurt one morning before school. He did his homework and his chores and even started helping Mr. Schuester after class for extra credit.

But somehow, he always ended up thinking about the same thing and the absolute panic that the idea of Kurt hating him forever nearly ate him up inside.

It was still early in the morning when his phone went off. Blaine groaned and blindly reached for it, hoping that it was Kurt, because if it was anyone else bothering him on a Sunday, he wasn't going to be polite about it.

"'ello," he mumbled with his face pressed against the pillow. No one answered for a couple seconds and Blaine cleared his throat to speak louder. "Hello?"

"Blaine," a voice said, cracking a bit. He recognized it immediately.

"Mrs. Hummel?" It felt weird calling Katherine that. It was like replacing Carole, somehow, and he didn't like it. "Is that you?"

"Yes," she coughed and it sounded so painful that Blaine grimaced. "I'm so sorry to call you... I just didn't know who else to call."

"What's going on?" He asked, sitting up on his bed, now aware of the distant sound of a baby crying in the background.

"I'm having a really bad day," she said with difficulty. "I can't even take care of Kara. Blaine, please… I know you don't want to get more involved, but I need your help."

Blaine ran a hand through his messy hair, still a bit confused after being woken up so suddenly. "What do you need?"

* * *

Blaine was at the motel in an hour, showered and dressed and a bit anxious. When he knocked on the door, Katherine took a while to open it, but when she did, Blaine had to hold back a gasp.

She was pale, paler than she usually was, paler than he had ever seen Kurt. There were big, dark marks under her eyes and in the few days that had passed since Blaine had seen her, she seemed to have lost some weight.

"Thanks for coming," she said with a raspy voice, letting him in.

"How are you feeling?" He asked, frowning.

"Let's just say I've had better days," she tried to laugh but failed horribly and started coughing instead.

Blaine stood in the middle of the room. It looked as if a hurricane had gone through it. there were clothes everywhere, dirty mugs, untouched food. Finally, he turned to Katherine with the one question that he'd had in his mind since he woke up. "Why call me?"

She smiled sadly. "As pathetic as it may sound, Blaine… at this point, you're all I have."

Blaine's heart clenched painfully in his chest and he swallowed past the lump in his throat. "Where's Kara?"

"In her crib," Katherine answered with a sigh. "I fed ger and changed her diaper and she fell asleep again."

"Where's her car seat?" He said, glancing around the room again.

Katherine tried to help him, but even the smallest effort seemed to drain her strength, so Blaine ended up securing the baby seat in the backseat of his car and then carrying out Kara's bag full of diapers and bottles before finally coming back for the baby. His arms shook a little when Katherine put the sleeping girl in them and then leaned down to kiss her forehead.

"Be a good girl for mommy, okay?" She said and, for a moment, Blaine thought that the way her voice wavered had very little to do with her feeling sick.

As he drove back home with a baby in the backseat and hoping his parents had left for one of their usual Sunday gathering with friends, he tried to understand how his life had become what it currently was.

Kara didn't wake up until Blaine parked the car in his driveway. The girl looked around and started crying almost immediately.

"Shit," Blaine mumbled, climbing out of the car and running around to the backseat. He opened the door quickly and undid the straps on Kara's seat to pick her up. "Ssh, don't cry, Kara, please…"

She seemed to realize her mom wasn't there because then she started crying even harder. Blaine held her carefully and grabbed the bag with her things, before rushing into the house, feeling a bit desperate already.

No one seemed to be home, judging by the silence that enveloped the house. Blaine called for his mom, anyway, just to make sure, before going into the living room, where he supposed Kara would be more comfortable.

What was he supposed to do with a crying eight month old? Katherine should've included a manual or something, some sort of guidelines. He felt so lost as he paced the girl around the living room, trying to whisper reassuring things that she most likely didn't understand. He wondered if he should call Katherine, but he knew she would stress even more if she realized he was having trouble taking care of the baby.

He took a deep breath and sat on the couch, balancing the girl on his knees and trying not to think about how terrible he was with kids and how Kurt would never want to have kids with him if he saw him now and oh, god, why was he worrying about that when Kurt was going to break up with him as soon as he knew about Kara's existence?

"Please, Kara, I don't know what to do!" He exclaimed, as if that would make the little girl stop crying. "I know you want your mom, but I can't take you back to her, yet!" He wanted to cry too, wishing Kurt was there with him, completely sure that his boyfriend would know exactly what to do. He always did. "I just…" he sniffed, thinking so hard that it was giving him a headache.

The song came to him, out of nowhere, but he let the words out anyway, hoping they would help.

_When you wish upon a star  
Makes no difference who you are  
Anything your heart desires  
Will come to you_

_If your heart is in your dream_   
_No request is too extreme_   
_When you wish upon a star_   
_As dreamers do_

_Fate is kind_   
_She brings to those who love_   
_The sweet fulfillment of_   
_Their secret longing_

Kara blinked and stopped crying to look at him, curiously. Encouraged, Blaine kept singing and though his voice wasn't perfect because he was nervous, it didn't seem to matter to the little girl, who stared at him, tilting her head to the side.

_Like a bolt out of the blue  
Fate steps in and sees you through  
When you wish upon a star  
Your dreams come true_

_Fate is kind_   
_She brings to those who love_   
_The sweet fulfillment of_   
_Their secret longing_

_Like a bolt out of the blue_   
_Fate steps in and sees you through_   
_When you wish upon a star_   
_Your dreams come true._

Kara just kept looking at him with curious eyes and then simply raised her hand and booped his nose. A smile appeared on Blaine's face, a very relieved one.

* * *

He wasn't sure exactly when it had happened, but it was probably between the moment in which he had started singing to her and the moment he cuddled her against his chest to try and get her to take a nap after she had her bottle of milk, but Kara seemed to have completely fallen in love with Blaine.

And as he stared down at the adorable sleeping girl in his arms, Blaine realized that he had unmistakably fallen in love with her, too.

* * *

It wasn't too long after that when Blaine heard the front door opening and he froze. His parents voices and laughs came from the hallway and all he could do was rock Kara softly to keep her asleep and brace himself for what was about to come.

"Oh, Blaine! I didn't think you'd be home, darling!" Amelia said as she entered the living room. Both she and her husband, Harry, were wearing the outfits they wore when they went out to play tennis. "Would you like to…?" She stopped in her tracks when she noticed her son was craddling a baby carefully. "Blaine? Whose baby is that?"

Blaine didn't answer. He simply held Kara and bit his lip to stop the tears from coming. He was so overwhelmed. He couldn't understand how he hadn't exploded yet.

"Blaine?" Harry said, standing next to his mother and looking down at him with the same concern in his eyes. "Talk to us, son. Where did you get that baby?"

Blaine had to take a few steadying breaths that didn't really help too much. "She's Kurt's sister…"

Amelia seemed genuinely shocked. "I didn't know Kurt had a sister!"

"Neither does he," Blaine answered and just like that, the dam broke and tears ran freely down his cheeks.

* * *

It took a while for Amelia and Harry to calm their son down enough so he could explain what was going on, but once they did, Blaine couldn't help but tell them everything.

His parents had always been supportive of him. His dad may have had trouble accepting his sexuality at first, but once he finally understood that it was part of who Blaine was, he had told him he loved him anyway. They had both welcomed Kurt into the family easily and it wasn't unusual to find Kurt and Amelia gossiping in the kitchen as they exchanged recipes.

Amelia finally understood why her son had been so upset a few days ago, but had no idea how to help him and that scared her. Harry simply sat in front of him and let his son pour out all his fears and insecurities, and once he was done, he put a hand on his knee and said, gently: "Don't worry, Blaine. We'll figure something out."

Kara woke up before anyone could say anything else and started crying. Amelia tried to take her, but the little girl clung to Blaine with her tiny arms and only cried harder when they tried to force her to let go. Finally Blaine simply cuddled her to his chest and started humming until she quieted down.

He tried to imagine what Burt would say if he knew what he was doing and he was sure he wouldn't be too happy, but what was Blaine supposed to do?

For that question, he didn't have an answer.

* * *

Taking care of Kara became almost a regular thing for Blaine as Katherine's health very quickly started to decline. She would call him every now and then to ask him for help and though at first he had been reluctant, he now agreed wholeheartedly. He loved Kara, just as simple as that.

One evening, when he dropped Kara back at the motel so she could spend the night with her mother, Blaine asked the question that had been nagging at the back of his head for a coupleof weeks now.

"What's going to happen to Kara once…?" He cleared his throat, awkwardly. "You know…"

Katherine had never looked happy to him, but right now, she was the image of sheer misery. "I still don't know."

Blaine drove back home with a lump in his throat.

* * *

The coffee had gone cold already. Blaine leaned against the car he was supposed to be helping Burt with, lost in thought. He always seemed to be lost in thought lately.

With a deep sigh, Burt put the pincers he had been using down, making a lot of noise and causing Blaine to startle. "Alright," he said.

"Alright?" Blaine repeated, confused.

"I'm going to tell Kurt."

Blaine's eyes widened and he gripped the edge of the car tightly, so tightly that his knuckles went white. "Really?"

"Yeah," Burt nodded slowly. "If not for him, for you. I can see keeping a secret from him is killing you, Blaine."

"Can you blame me?" Blaine snapped, before closing his eyes and trying to calm down. "I just… I'm scared. I don't want this to get between us and I know it will."

"Kurt's stubborn but he's not unreasonable," Burt assured him. "He'll know it wasn't your secret to tell." Burt took his cap off and rubbed at the back of his head, evidently tired and tense. "I'll fly to New York next week to talk to him."

Walking around the car to stand next to Burt, Blaine looked at him with determined eyes. "I'm going with you."

"Blaine…" Burt muttered.

"No. I'm going with you," Blaine insisted. "He's going to need me. I want to be there for him even if he wants to break up with me." Blaine's voice cracked when he said that. "If he's going to break up with me, at least I want the chance to see him one last time."

Burt couldn't help but pull Blaine into a hug. "He's not going to break up with you, kid."

"How do you know that?" Blaine practically whined, with his face pressed against the grease-stained coverall.

"Because when I think of Kurt's future, there are a lot of things I'm not entirely sure of, but there's one that's always there," he squeezed Blaine's shoulder gently and pulled away. "And that's you, kiddo."

Blaine could only nod and hope Burt was right.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The song in this chapter is When You Wish Upon a Star, from Pinocchio.


	4. Chapter 4

Wednesdays were Kurt's favorite days. He only had one class in the morning and then he had the rest of the day off to get his homework done or, if he was lucky enough to have time for it, simply relax. It was also Finn's busiest day, which meant he had the dorm room all for himself and that was always such a welcomed treat.

He had his earphones on and he was listening to his favorite playlist on his iPod as he walked down the hallway to his room. When he turned around the last corner, he was thinking about maybe taking a nice, hot shower, put some comfortable clothes on and sitting on his bed to read the last issue of Vogue. But all thoughts of relaxation and the latest fashion trends disappeared from his mind when he saw the man pacing in front of his door.

"Dad?" He said, with his eyes wide in surprise. Burt turned to look at him and a soft smile spread over his face. Kurt was about to say something when his father moved a couple steps towards him and revealed a further surprise. Sitting on the floor against the wall, with two duffel bags at his sides, was the one person Kurt thought about the most. "Blaine? Oh my god, Blaine!"

Blaine was on his feet and in Kurt's arms in record time. Kurt could feel his boyfriend's face buried against his neck and his arms tightly wrapped around him. He could even feel Blaine's heartbeat. Without being able to hold back, he tugged gently on Blaine's hair until he looked up and then crashed their lips together, as he had been longing to do since he had left Ohio.

They pulled away reluctantly and Kurt stared right into Blaine's beautiful hazel eyes as he rested their foreheads together. "Hi."

Blaine smiled. There were tears clinging to his eyelashes. "Hi."

"Hello," Burt said, causing the other two to laugh. Kurt untangled himself from Blaine and hugged his father. "It's so good to see you, kiddo."

"What are you two doing here?" Kurt asked as he stepped back. He latched onto Blaine's hand immediately and nudged his boyfriend's shoulder playfully. "Were you two missing me too much to wait a few more weeks until I could go see you?"

Something shifted in Burt's face, causing Kurt's smile to fade. Blaine was serious, too, and fear took over Kurt instantly.

"We need to talk to you," Burt finally muttered. "Can we do it in your room?"

"I…" Kurt swallowed. His hands shook as his mind swirled with possibilities. "Yes, yes. Of course."

Blaine hurried to grab the duffel bags before Burt could even move. Burt murmured something about the kid being overprotective. In any other moment, that would've warmed Kurt's heart. But not now. Not when he could see something was really wrong.

He opened the door with his key. He always left before Finn in the morning, so it wasn't unusual to return to the room being a mess. There were socks and books everywhere. The clothes Finn had worn the previous day were on the floor. Six empty cans of Coke were on the bedside table.

Kurt's side, on the other hand, was impecable. His bed was made. There were no dirty clothes in sight, except for the ones neatly stacked in his laundry basket. His bedside table was empty except for a book he had been reading for one of his upcoming tests. His desk was perfectly organized. One side was dedicated to his laptop and notebooks; the other, to his creams and lotions. It was kind of cramped, but he had made it work.

"Sit down," he said stiffly. "Finn won't be back for a few hours, so…"

Burt nodded as Blaine sat on the edge of the bed. "You sit down, too, Kurt."

Kurt took a deep breath as he took the spot next to Blaine. "Look, just say it. What is it? Is it your heart again, dad? Do you need surgery? What's wrong?"

"It's not me, kiddo," Burt answered.

Kurt froze before he turned to Blaine with absolutely terrified eyes. "It's you? Blaine? A-are you sick?"

"I'm okay, Kurt," Blaine grabbed his hand and squeezed it reassuringly. "Just… just listen to your dad."

Nervously, Kurt glanced at his father as the older man started pacing around the room. Something was incredibly alarming in both Burt and Blaine, Kurt noticed. Burt looked as if he had aged ten years in the little time that had passed since Kurt had last seen him. Blaine also looked tired, as if he was carrying a very heavy weight. Kurt didn't like any of what he was seeing.

"Kurt," Burt said and the next words came out harshly, as if he had made a great effort just to say his son's name. "I need to talk to you… about your mom."

Kurt was expecting lots of things, but not that. He blinked in confusion. "Mom? What about her?"

Burt tried to talk again but nothing was coming out of his mouth. He started getting frustrated and he took a few deep breaths to try to steady himself.

"Easy, Burt," Blaine mumbled. "Take your time."

Kurt certainly didn't want his father passing out in the middle of his dormroom or having another heart attack caused by anxiety, but the idea of him taking too much time saying whatever it was he needed to say only made him more and more nervous. He needed to know what was going on…

"Kurt, your mom is alive," Burt blurted out bluntly.

Kurt was sure he had heard wrong. He waited for his dad to say something, anything, to explain whatever it was he was there to say, because it certainly couldn't be _that_.

But Burt said nothing. He stared at his son miserably.

"That's not funny, Dad," Kurt said softly.

"It's not supposed to be funny," Burt replied.

"Well, if it was supposed to be an ice-breaker, it didn't work either," Kurt said, almost hysterically. "Would you please just tell me what's going on?"

Blaine's hand in his seemed to ground him. In this ridiculous, absurd situation, his boyfriend was the only anchor he could turn to, so he did. But Blaine was looking at him with something unreadable in his hazel eyes and Kurt felt more lost than he had ever felt in his life. "He's telling the truth, Kurt."

Kurt actually laughed, albeit bitterly. "Have you two hit your heads while you were working at the garage or something? Mom died when I was eight. I was at her funeral. I remember it, okay? Now stop whatever it is you two are trying to do and tell me…"

"Kurt," Burt cut off, crouching in front of him and putting his hands on his son's knees. "You need to listen to what I'm saying. I wouldn't joke about something like this. I wouldn't come all the way to New York to talk to you about something that I know it's still a sore spot for you if it wasn't important."

Kurt didn't realize he was having trouble breathing. "Then what the hell are you talking about?"

Burt sighed shakily. "Blaine, maybe you should wait outside for a few minutes."

"No," Kurt said, holding onto Blaine's hand with a death grip. "He's staying right here. Now, talk."

Burt talked. He forced himself to spill the truth he had kept inside for so long. He unveiled his darkest secret in front of his son. He told him about Katherine leaving. He told him about panicking and not being able to tell his eight year-old kid that his mother had walked away from them because she cared more about her dreams than her family. He told him about blurting out a lie that had haunted him for so many years.

"She came to the garage a few weeks ago," Burt said. Kurt was frozen, he hadn't reacted at all. His hand was loose in Blaine's. Burt wasn't even sure if he had seen him blink since he had started talking. "She came back. She…"

"No," Kurt finally spoke, but it was so soft that at first Blaine and Burt thought they had imagined it. "No. This is… this can't be true."

"Kurt…"

"How could you lie to me?" His blue eyes began filling up with tears. Just the sight of this broken boy was enough to cause a deep pain in the other two men's hearts.

"I had to," Burt said through gritted teeth, trying to stop himself from crying, too.

"No, you didn't!" Kurt screamed, his voice resounding against the walls of the little dormroom. "You could've been honest! You could've just told me that she didn't want me! You could've told me that my own mother didn't care about me!"

"I couldn't break your heart!" Burt exclaimed.

"But you could lie to me? You could betray me?" Kurt spat the words as he stood up brusquely, tearing his hand away from Blaine's. "I spent half my life grieving and practically worshiping a woman who apparently didn't give a shit about me!"

"Kurt…" Blaine spoke for the first time in a while. "I don't think it's like that. If you would just…"

"You knew?" Kurt said, turning to his boyfriend with fire in his gaze. "You knew about this and you didn't tell me?"

"It wasn't my secret to tell, Kurt…" Blaine mumbled, sadly.

"Oh my god, I can't believe I'm hearing all this," Kurt covered his ears with his hands in desperation. "I can't believe this is happening."

"Kurt, please…" Burt whispered and the tears were already running down his cheeks.

But Kurt's eyes were still fixed on Blaine. "Have you seen her?"

Blaine's heart pounded against his chest. "Kurt…"

"Answer the question, Blaine. Have you seen her?" He repeated, obfuscated.

Blaine swallowed before he nodded, slowly.

It took just a heartbeat. They were all staring at each other for just a matter of seconds before Kurt picked up his coat that he had taken off when they had come into the room.

"Wait. Kurt, where are you going?" Burt asked, anxiously.

"I don't know. I don't care. Away from you," he answered as he slipped on it.

"I'll go with you," Blaine immediately said.

"No!" Kurt stood with his hand on the doorknob. "I don't want anything to do with either of you right now. Just leave me alone."

"Baby…" Blaine muttered, brokenly, but Kurt had already left the room and was slamming the door in his face.

* * *

They waited. They told themselves Kurt needed some time to process everything. They told themselves that he would come back in a couple of hours and they would talk and find a solution to all of this together.

But Kurt didn't come back and time kept passing by.

* * *

When Burt got so anxious Blaine started fearing he would have another heart attack, he called Finn and Rachel, who were there in fifteen minutes.

They decided to go out and try to find Kurt to bring him back before it got too dark outside. He was too upset to be wandering around alone in such a dangerous city. What if something had happened to him?

But Blaine couldn't afford to think like that. If he was going to lose Kurt, it wasn't going to be because something would happen to him. It would be because Kurt hated him for hiding what he knew.

They split in two. Finn would go with Burt and he would go with Rachel. They took cabs, they walked around, they stopped in all the places Kurt usually went.

But there were no signs of him. He had vanished in the city.

* * *

Rachel tried calling him for the millionth time, but Kurt didn't pick up.

"Can you at least tell me what happened?" She asked, as Blaine stared out the window of yet another cab.

The streets were full of people, so crowded that it was hard making out everyone's faces. But to Blaine, they were empty, because Kurt wasn't there.

He didn't answer. He couldn't. He knew that if he opened his mouth, all that would come out of it would be a sob.

He couldn't break down just yet. He needed to make sure Kurt was safe first.

* * *

It was past midnight and Rachel was absolutely exhausted. She had a test in the morning and, though she claimed she didn't care and that she wanted to keep helping Blaine, Blaine walked her back to her dorm.

"I'll go back to Kurt's room and see if he came back," Blaine said. "You should get some rest."

"But Blaine…" she whined.

"Rachel, please," he rubbed his temples, exhausted. "I know you want to help, but I need some time to think and I need you to understand that."

"Okay," she whispered. She kissed his cheek sweetly. "It was nice seeing you, even though it's not in the best circumstances…"

He nodded. He would've said something in return, but his thoughts were nothing but an incesant echo of _KurtKurtKurtKurt_.

* * *

The room was still empty. Blaine's heart clenched in desperation when he found it just the same way it was when they had left it that afternoon.

He sat on Kurt's bed and finally allowed himself to break down. The tears were coming down his cheeks before he even had time to register what was going on.

At this point, he didn't care if Kurt said he didn't want to see him anymore. All he cared about was knowing if he was okay or not. He wanted Kurt to be safe.

He didn't know what he would do if he wasn't.

* * *

Blaine had probably cried himself to sleep because the sound of the door woke him up. He sat up on the bed, suddenly, startled, not knowing where he was.

Until he saw Kurt standing by the closed door. He looked terrible. His hair was dishveled, his eyes were red and puffy and he was so much paler than Blaine had ever seen him.

But he was there.

"Kurt…" Blaine croaked.

"Where's my dad?" He asked in a low, tired voice.

"Out with Finn, looking for you," Blaine answered. "I came back a little while ago. I was with Rachel but we didn't know where to look for you…"

"I was on the rooftop," Kurt shrugged, but even that seemed unnatural. It was as if he wasn't comfortable in his own skin. "I needed to think."

"I was so worried," Blaine said, stumbling over his own words. He was nervous, desperate. "I know you don't want anything to do with me right now, but I…"

"I just can't believe everything was a lie," Kurt mumbled, dropping down on the floor with his back against the door and hugging his kness to his chest. He looked like a child. "I can't believe my dad would lie about something like that…"

"He knows that what he did was wrong," Blaine said softly. "He knows that. It's been haunting him for quite some time. But all he wanted to do was protect you, Kurt. You were eight. You were just a kid. How would you have felt if he'd told you the truth?"

"I don't know," Kurt closed his eyes and leaned his head back against the door with a thump. "But hearing it all at eighteen isn't much better."

"I know it isn't." Blaine carefully stood and walked to him, slow, hesitant steps towards his boyfriend, giving him time to stop him if he wanted to. "Burt was desperate when he told you that lie. He had to break his son's heart when his own heart was already shattered to pieces. I don't justify him," he added quickly at Kurt's slight glare, "but I understand him. You have no idea how precious you are, Kurt. When you're hurting, it's like the whole world is crumbling down. And even though learning that your mother had died was terrible, it would've been even worse if you had known the truth…"

Kurt shook his head but he didn't say anything.

Blaine stared at him, helplessly. "Tell me what to do to fix this. Please."

They were silent for so long that Blaine thought, for a moment, that Kurt had fallen asleep right there on the floor.

"Why is she back?" Kurt asked and he sounded even more pained that before. "Why now?"

Blaine swallowed. He wasn't sure if he was the right person to tell Kurt the rest of the story, but if Kurt wanted him to, he would. "Do you want me to tell you the rest or do you want to wait and hear it from your father?"

Kurt took a deep breath, as if bracing himself for what was to come. "Tell me what you know."

Blaine nodded. He sat on the floor across from Kurt, making sure they weren't touching, just in case, although he was dying to grab Kurt's hand, to kiss him, to comfort him somehow. "She's sick. She doesn't have much time left and she wants to see you before it's too late."

He knew what he had said was too hard, that he probably should have said it slowly. But he thought of it as ripping a Band-Aid off. The quicker, the better.

Kurt gasped. "She's dying?"

"Yes," Blaine said simply.

"So I've just learnt that my mother is alive but now she's going to die… _again_."

Blaine said nothing.

Kurt surprised him when he started laughing. It was a humourless, bitter laugh. "What is she trying to do, then? Trying to get my forgiveness and earn her place in fucking heaven? Is that what she wants? Is she going to play the victim part now?"

"She's scared, Kurt," Blaine sighed. He pulled his knees to his chest, too. "She's devastated. And she knows she made lots of mistakes, but…"

"You've been talking to her," Kurt stared at him with wide eyes. "More than once."

There was no point in lying, Blaine knew. There were already too many lies between them. "Yes."

" _Why_?" The absolute hurt in Kurt's voice threatened to tear Blaine's heart apart.

"I first went see her to tell her to leave your father alone. I was worried about him stressing too much…" Blaine explained, his eyes fixed on his own hands as if he had never seen anything as interesting before.

"And then?" Kurt said, cautiously.

"Then she needed me," Blaine answered, forcing himself to look up at his boyfriend.

"She needed you?" Kurt repeated, incredulous.

"Yes," Blaine took a deep breath. This was probably one of the hardest parts to tell. "Sometimes she's so sick she can't even take care of… of your sister."

The sharp intake of breath that came from Kurt was the only sound breaking the silence in the room. Before Blaine could say anything else, Kurt started crying, sob after sob making his body shake.

"Oh, Kurt…" he crawled towards him, slowly, trying not to scare him away. "I'm so sorry, honey."

"Why is all of this happening?" Kurt said, hiding his face in his hands. "How could my dad do this to me? How could my own mother abandon me?"

Blaine wrapped his arms around him and pulled him close, glad that Kurt didn't push him away. "Deep down, they just wanted the best for you, but they both made mistakes and screwed up instead…"

"I've spent so many years crying over someone who didn't give a shit about me," Kurt was shivering in his arms. "She gave up on her family and now she has another kid?"

"I think your mom's been lost for a long time now," Blaine said, kissing the top of his head. "Leaving you and your dad was just the first of many mistakes she made. And now she's realized that, but it's… it's too late, Kurt."

Kurt stayed silent for what it seemed like forever. Blaine was cold and uncomfortable there on the floor, but he didn't dare to move. When Kurt whispered, it startled him. He was almost sure his boyfriend had fallen asleep.

"I'm so tired…"

"It's okay, sweetheart," Blaine rubbed his bag comfortingly. "Let me get you into bed…"

Kurt allowed Blaine to help him up and into bed. Blaine removed his boots and his coat, helped him out of his pants and his shirt. Kurt scooted over on the bed, making room for him and Blaine felt so overwhelmingly relieved that his boyfriend wanted him there that he didn't even undress. He crawled into bed with him and held him close.

He typed a message to Burt very quickly letting him know that Kurt was with him, but that he wasn't ready to talk to him yet. Burt texted him back, saying he would go to a motel and that Finn would stay with Rachel so Blaine could stay with Kurt. Blaine left his cellphone on the bedside table and softly hummed a random melody, hoping it was soothing.

"Blaine?" Kurt spoke after a few long minutes.

"Yes?" He stroked his hair gently. Part of him hated the reason why he was there, but other was so fucking glad to have Kurt in his arms again. He had missed him painfully.

"What's her name?" Kurt whispered.

"Your sister's?" Blaine frowned, confused for a moment. Kurt nodded as he swallowed, hesintantly. "Kara."

Kurt's hands tightened his fists in Blaine's shirt. "Kara?"

"Yes," Blaine confirmed. "She's eight months old."

After another long pause, Kurt began talking again. "When I was little, I didn't like being an only child. I would always ask my mom for a brother or sister to play with. I didn't have many friends and most of the times I had to play alone or with my parents." Kurt stopped and wiped some tears away. "Everytime we talked about it, I would tell her that whatever it was, a boy or a girl, the baby's name would have to start with a K." He moved closer, obviously seeking for comfort. "Katherine, Kurt, Kara. We were supposed to be like the three musketeers."

Blaine's chest tightener at those words, at those broken memories of a boy who had had his world taken away from him and exchanged for another one in which he'd had to grow up surrounded by lies.

"I can't forgive her, Blaine," Kurt sobbed, burying his face on the crook of his neck. "I just can't."

"It's okay, sweetheart," Blaine cooed lovingly. "It's not your fault…"

"I don't want to have anything to do with them," Kurt lifted up his head just enough to look Blaine in the eyes. He was the absolute definition of misery right then. "Not even my dad. I can't deal with him now."

Blaine knew that was going to kill Burt, but he nodded. Kurt needed time. They all would have to give it to him. "I'm so sorry, Kurt. I'm sorry I didn't say anything. I just… I couldn't."

"Let's… let's not talk about it tonight, okay?" Kurt pleaded, desperately. "I want to just be here with you until the morning."

Blaine wasn't sure what that meant. He didn't know if Kurt would want to say goodbye to him in the morning or if he would forgive him for his silence. The only thing he knew was that he had a few more hours to hold him close, so that's exactly what he did.

* * *

When the morning came, it was, once again, the sound of the door that woke Blaine up. The sweet, warm weight of Kurt wrapped around him made him smile for a moment. But when he remembered how bad things had been the previous day, the smile vanished.

Finn was standing awkwardly in the middle of the room, looking at them. "How is he doing?"

"Not good," Blaine sighed. "How's Burt?"

"Not good," Finn answered with a sad smile. "How the hell did all of this happen?"

"I wish I knew," Blaine pressed his lips to Kurt's forehead and stayed there, even though he needed to pee badly, even though Finn was just staring at them, even though he needed to find Burt and see if he needed something. Kurt was here. It was all that mattered to him now.

"I have to go to class," Finn announced. "Will you and Burt still be here by the time I come back?"

"I don't know. It depends on how Kurt is feeling and on what Burt wants to do now," Blaine replied. "But in case I don't see you, thanks for your help last night, Finn."

"Don't worry about it, dude. He's my brother."

After a quick goodbye, Finn left for his class, leaving Kurt and Blaine alone again. It wasn't too long after that Kurt started shifting until he woke up completely. At first, a happy, dreamy smile extended on his lips, as he hummed in contentment and moved closer to his boyfriend's warmth. But when reality hit, he almost jumped back and away from him.

"Ssh, it's okay," Blaine soothed him quietly.

Kurt still untangled himself from him. "My head hurts."

"Do you want me to get you an aspirin or something?" Blaine offered, immediately standing up.

"No," Kurt looked up at him with bright eyes. His eyes were still red and he didn't look any better than the night before. "Blaine, I… I need to be alone."

Blaine swallowed. This was exactly what he had been dreading. "O-okay. I can go get you a coffee, come back in a while, give you time to…"

"Blaine," Kurt cut off in a monotone. "I want you to go back to Ohio with my dad. I really need to be alone and think this through."

Blaine forbade himself to cry right there and then. He would wait until he was in the hallway, at least. He nodded and picked up his things before walking to the door. Once he was there, he looked over his shoulder at Kurt, who was curled in on himself and staring at nothing.

"Are we going to be okay, Kurt?" The question escaped through his lips and he was so obviously scared, terrified of losing Kurt.

But Kurt didn't even look at him. He didn't answer. He was already lost in his own thoughts and Blaine's heart broke another bit.

He left without promises, hopeless and aimless.

* * *

The flight back to Ohio was silent.

Blaine had never seen Burt looking like that before. It was obvious he hadn't slept all night. The dark marks under his eyes and the mask of pain he was wearing didn't seem to fit the strong, determined, sharp man Blaine was used to seeing. This whole thing had torn him apart.

Blaine knew he didn't look any better. All of his fears were suddenly right there in front of him, closing around him, choking him, leaving no possible way out. Kurt was going to leave him, that much seemed certain. What wasn't certain was what Blaine would do with his life when that happened. Kurt was the love of his life. When he thought of his future, he thought of getting married to him, coming home to him everyday, adopting kids with him, growing old with him… Kurt was always going to be his future.

When the plane landed, Blaine felt as if the tether that had been binding him to Kurt broke. He stood in the middle of the crowded airport, feeling lost and helpless, and he cried like he had never cried in his life before.

His entire existence was falling apart, but without Kurt, he didn't care enough to try and pick up the pieces.


	5. Chapter 5

He refused to get out of bed or to even leave his bedroom, until he received a text from Katherine the next day, asking him if he could take care of Kara. He didn't even know how he managed to drag himself to get in the shower and get dressed. It seemed as if all his energy had been drained.

Katherine looked the worst he had ever seen her when she opened the door. She was thinner, paler and looked exhausted enough to pass out.

"Hi, Blaine," she tried to smile. She eyed him apprehensively as he entered the motel room. "Are you okay?" He must look as bad as he felt.

"No," he admitted, sitting on the bed. Kara was playing on the floor with some cubes with animals pictures on them, but as soon as she saw Blaine, she crawled towards him, excitedly. He picked her up and kissed her forehead. "Hey, baby girl."

"What happened to you?" She asked, concerned.

"Burt and I went to see Kurt," he said.

"Oh," Katherine stared at him, waiting expectantly for more. When Blaine didn't say anything else, she nodded, slowly. "I'm assuming it didn't go well?"

A single tear escaped down his cheek. "I'm pretty sure he's going to break up with me."

"Blaine…" Katherine said, hesitantly reaching out to rub at his back, hoping it would be comforting. "Don't think like that. Maybe it's not as bad as you…"

"You don't know Kurt," he cut her off a bit sharply, because he was so edgy right now that he didn't care how he sounded. "I do. And the way he asked me to leave him alone was enough proof that he doesn't want anything to do with me anymore."

Katherine swallowed with difficulty. "I see."

There was an uncomfortable silence between them, only filled with Kara's pleased sounds as Blaine held her up to jump on his knees. Blaine thought he saw Katherine shaking a bit, but if it was because she was nervous or because she was cold, or because she was only way too weak, he didn't know.

She broke down all of a sudden, leaning down and burying her face in her hands as she started sobbing. "I've never wanted to ruin anyone's life. I've never wanted to hurt anyone. Why did I have to screw everything up so badly?"

"Katherine," Blaine muttered, because she was Katherine to him. She wasn't Mrs. Hummel. Carole was Mrs. Hummel and she would always be. This was Katherine, just Katherine and it seemed weird to Blaine that he was actually getting to know her better than he knew Carole. "Everyone makes mistakes."

"A mother shouldn't make the mistakes I did," she replied, wiping her tears with the back of her hand. "A mother shouldn't walk away from her children. With what I did… I don't deserve Kurt. I've never deserved him."

Blaine didn't know what to say. Deep down inside, he knew Katherine was right and he wasn't going to lie to her, to pretend he was okay with what she had done. Kara cuddled against his chest, yawning and he rocked her gently, lulling her to sleep.

"I don't know what I was thinking," Katherine said after a few minutes. "I shouldn't have come back here. I shouldn't be trying to see Kurt. I should just leave everyone to go on with their lives. Burt was right to tell Kurt I was dead…"

"Stop it," Blaine said. He wasn't in the mood to deal with any of this. "You can't change what you did and what Burt did. And Kurt knows now, so there's no use in looking back and wishing you had acted differently. Do what you can with what you have. But mostly, you have to respect what Kurt wants."

Katherine looked at him, as if she was trying to find something in his eyes, something that was hidden deep inside those hazel orbits. "How can you be so young and so wise at the same time?"

"I'm not wise," Blaine answered, running his fingers through Kara's soft hair. "It's just common sense."

"I obviously lack common sense, then," Katherine sighed, tiredly. Then she pulled her suitcase from under the bed and opened it.

"What are you doing?" Blaine asked, frowning.

"There's no point in staying here," she shrugged, though her shoulders were visibly tense. "I came back to see Kurt and if Kurt doesn't want anything to do with me, then there's no reason to stay."

"Where are you going?" Blaine was awfully aware of the warm weight of Kara in his arms, of her light puffs of breath and the way she shifted a bit in her sleep.

"Does it matter?" She muttered, walking to the closet and grabbing some clothes. "Somewhere nice, I guess. I'd like to spend the rest of my days somewhere with warm weather and nice beaches."

"And what are you going to do about Kara?" Blaine said, looking at her as if she had lost her mind. "You can't take care of her. You're too sick most days to even pick her up. Who's gonna help you with her?"

Katherine's knees seemed to weaken and she sat on the bed with difficulty. She was pale, too pale, alarmingly pale and Blaine could almost see the life inside her body fading little by little.

"I've been thinking about it a lot," Katherine murmured so quietly that Blaine had to scoot closer to actually hear her. "The best option I can come up with is for her to go to an orphanage. She's still so young, I'm sure they'll be able to find a good family for her in no time. And it kills me to have to leave another one of my kids behind, but I don't know what else to do. Her father disappeared as soon as he knew I was pregnant and I can't keep her until the end. What if something happens to me and then she's left all alone? What if something happens to her? I need to make sure she'll be okay before…"

She couldn't finish. She choked on her words. Blaine stared at her and all he saw was her pain. He knew Katherine probably deserved some of the pain she carried from the guilt she felt for leaving her family. But Kara? Kara was just a baby, a happy, adorable, oblivious baby that had no idea her life would change drastically in maybe a matter of weeks. Days. Hours.

"I can keep her."

The words were out and hanging in the air before Blaine had time to realize that they had come from his own mouth. He gasped, shocked, but then he felt a determination grow inside of him, something so strong taking over him that he had never experienced before but he somehow knew that this was the right choice. He knew it was crazy. He knew it probably made no sense. But nothing did anymore.

"What?" Katherine looked at him with wide eyes. Even her eyes seemed to have lost their color. They didn't look much like Kurt's now. There wasn't much left of the smiling woman Blaine remembered from the pictures in Kurt's room.

Blaine glanced down at the sleeping girl in his arms and that was all that it took for him to make the decision final. "I can keep her."

"Blaine…" Katherine whispered brokenly, shaking her head. "You have no idea how much I'd like that. I don't know anyone that has connected with Kara the way you have. But… I can't. You're just a kid, you're in high school, you're not even eighteen…"

"Yes, I am," Blaine said. "I was held back a year because I was attacked after a dance and had to spend a few months in the hospital. But I'm eighteen."

Katherine said nothing and Blaine felt his grip tightening around Kara, protectively.

"Katherine," he muttered in a pleading tone. "You can't leave her in an orphanage. You don't know what kind of people could end up adopting her. And what if she's never adopted? What if she lives her life in there? She has a family. Kurt is her family. And I know maybe he doesn't want anything to do with any of this now… but he'll open his heart to his sister, eventually, once he's healed."

"But why you?" She asked, without being able to believe it. "Why would you want to deal with looking after a baby when she's not even _your_ sister? When you're not even sure if Kurt will accept her or if you'll spend the rest of your life with him?"

"Because I love Kara," Blaine replied, simply. "Because I don't want anything to happen to her. And because I love Kurt and even though he's stubborn and he's probably so mad at me that he doesn't even want to hear from me now, I intend to fight for him. I know he's the one I want to spend the rest of my life with and if I let you do this, if I let you leave Kara in an orphanage… he'll never forgive me."

"Blaine…"

"And in case you haven't noticed," he continued, arching an eyebrow at her, "we're a gay couple. If we want kids, we'll need to adopt them."

"You're crazy," Katherine said, not sounding very convinced. "You don't know what you're saying…"

"Just… think about it, okay?" Blaine stood up, careful not to wake up Kara. "I'm gonna take her to my house so you can rest. Don't even think about leaving. You're staying here so I can help you."

Blaine held Kara with one arm and hung her bag on his shoulder with the other one. Katherine just looked at him as if she was seeing an angel.

"I can see why Kurt is in love with you," she mumbled as she moved to lie on the bed with the last of the strength she had left. "You're one of a kind, Blaine."

Blaine sighed. He still wondered to himself how his life had turned into this mess. "Just get some rest, Katherine," he said before closing the door behind him.

* * *

Kara was sleeping next to him on the couch so Blaine took the opportunity to set up his laptop and do some research. That's how his father found him when he walked into the living room.

"Hey, Blaine," he said in a low voice so he wouldn't disturb the baby. "Everything alright?"

Blaine looked up at his father and took a deep breath. "I need to talk to you. And mom, too."

Harry frowned, worried. "What's going on?"

"I just… could you go get her? I'd like to have this talk before Kara wakes up," he said as he felt the nerves growing inside of him.

Harry obliged, and before even two minutes had passed, he was back with Amelia, who was drying her hands on a kitchen cloth.

"What's going on?" She asked with a curious smile.

"I…" Blaine cleared his throat. He needed to make his parents to understand. "I'm going to do something and I need you guys to support me."

Harry arched an eyebrow. "What are you going to do?"

"Before you say anything, let me explain it all, okay?" Blaine put the laptop down, glanced quickly at Kara to make sure she was still asleep and then stood up. He made a gesture to indicate he wanted his parents to sit down and he only started talking once they were seated next to each other on the opposite couch. "I've been talking to Katherine about her plans for Kara. Her health is getting worse and soon she'll be at the point where she won't be able to take care of her at all anymore." He paused to take a deep breath and that gave his father the chance to interrupt him.

"Does Katherine know what she's going to do about the baby yet?" He asked.

Blaine nodded slowly. "She intends to leave Kara at an orphanage."

"How awful!" Amelia said, with a hand right above her heart on her chest. "I can't imagine what it must be like, having to make a decision like that."

"Doesn't she have anyone else?" Harry put his hand on his wife's knee, comfortingly. "No family at all?"

"Just the Hummels," Blaine answered, rubbing his temples. He felt so tired. "Kara's father disappeared as soon as she told him she was pregnant. Burt won't talk to Katherine since she showed up in the garage. I think he's too furious with her right now, because of what happened with Kurt. And Kurt…"

"You still haven't heard from him, dear?" Amelia asked softly.

"No," Blaine's heart clenched in pain at that, but he tried to remain hopeful. "I will, soon, though. I'm sure."

"Of course," Amelia nodded, but the pity in her voice and her eyes wasn't what Blaine needed just then.

"I have a better solution for her," Blaine said, before his courage abandoned him. "I've been reading and researching and since I'm over eighteen, I can be named Kara's legal guardian."

Before he could continue talking, his father cut him off again. "Blaine, that's ridiculous! You've just said it yourself! You're only eighteen. You can't have a child under your custody."

"Dad…"

"Your father is right, darling," Amelia muttered sadly. "Although your intentions are good, you are in no position to take care of a kid. Just think of next year. Are you going to take Kara to college with you?"

"I want to go to NYU and they have a child care service," he cut in quickly, knowing his parents were going to interrupt him again with more objections. "I'm gonna have to get a job to support her, but…"

"Blaine, this is crazy," Harry said, shaking his head. "I know you want to help, but you can't compromise your entire life for someone else's child."

"I love Kara," Blaine muttered, his hazel eyes moving to rest on the little girl's sleeping figure. "I don't want anything bad to happen to her. I don't want to lose her."

"That's very noble, darling, but…"

"Mom," Blaine turned to his mother. He sat on the coffee table and held her hands in his. "I need to do this."

"Blaine, you need to understand…"

"No, Dad," he sighed. This wasn't what he had imagined in his future either. When he had thought of his first year of college, he hadn't imagined he would be responsible for a baby. But right now, he didn't care about that. Life was never what one imagined it would be. Sometimes it was harder, but sometimes it was better. With Kara, it was both. "Look… I'm telling you this because I'd love to be able to count on you guys, to have your support, to accept my decision… but the truth is… I'm going to go ahead and do this even if you don't agree with me."

Kara woke up then, crying softly at first, and then wailing and extending her arms as if waiting for someone to pick her up. Blaine immediately stood up and walked to her, scooping her up in his arms.

"What's up, baby girl?" He cooed sweetly, kissing her cheek. "What do you need? Is it your diaper?"

Amelia and Harry looked as their son carefully put Kara down on her changing mat, constantly talking to her, whispering sweet nothings and kissing her little feet every time she kicked. The girl was delighted, grabbing Blaine's hand or face when he leaned closer to her. He changed her diaper quickly and efficiantly, as if he had been taking care of children his entire life.

It was something so natural, so perfect. If they hadn't known better, they would've thought the baby was Blaine's own daughter. They exchanged a quick glance and smiled sadly at each other. They knew they didn't have a say in it and even though they were proud of their son for doing what he thought was right without caring about the conscequences, they wished he didn't have to worry about things like this. Not yet, not while he was so young, not when he was supposed to only think about what his plans for college were or where he wanted to take his boyfriend on their next date. No, this wasn't what they wanted for their eighteen year old son, but if he was sure about it, there was nothing they could do.

* * *

It was nice to have some quiet, Blaine thought, as he entered the kitchen and went straight to the fridge to get something to drink. He had just dropped Kara back at the motel with her mother and, after his conversation with his parents the previous week, he had finally convinced Katherine to make him Kara's legal guardian. She promised to take care of all the paperwork and all Blaine had to do was sign them when they were ready.

And then take care of her daughter for the rest of his life.

It should've sounded more terrifying, Blaine was sure of it. But it didn't. He had Kara in his charge almost every day now and he had even kept her overnight last weekend because Katherine couldn't even get out of bed. He knew it was a huge responsibility, but the idea of letting Kara go and never hearing from her again scared him more than anything else.

He downed a bottle of water in less than five minutes. He had to finish writing an essay for his Literature class and he knew he had to start working on it soon. He was considering taking a shower first (Kara had thrown up on him and even though he had changed his shirt, he could _still_ smell it) when the doorbell rang.

He sighed as he walked to the front door, thoughts swirling in his head, a mixture of so many things he had to worry about: his algebra test, buying more diapers for Kara because they were running low, his application for NYU, making some time to check in on Burt, who he hadn't seen since they've come back from New York…

But when he opened the door, everything disappeared, because the one he cared about most in the world was right there in front of him.

"Kurt…"

He didn't look as glorious as he usually did. It was obvious the past couple of weeks had been rough for him. His hair didn't look as soft and shiny as usual. His skin lacked the some of the ethereal glow that had been there since the first time Blaine had seen him. And his eyes… they looked exhausted, red rimmed and a bit swollen. He had obviously been been spending too much time crying and forgoing sleep.

And to Blaine, he still was the most beautiful man in the world.

"Hi," Kurt responded, a bit shyly, awkwardly.

"Hi," Blaine smiled because he couldn't help it. He noticed there was a suitcase at Kurt's feet. "What are you doing here? I thought your break…"

"I couldn't stay in New York any more," Kurt said, shaking his head. "I needed to come back. I needed… I don't know. I don't _know_ what I need, Blaine…"

He looked so sad, so defeated. Blaine had to fight himself not to immediately wrap him in his arms.

"Come on in. Let me help you with that," he grabbed Kurt's suitcase before he could protest and guided him into the living room. "Do you want something to drink?"

Kurt sat carefully on the couch. It was weird being like this, almost too formal, as if they didn't know everything about each other. "Just some water, please."

"I'll be right back."

Blaine took the opportunity to take some deep breaths. He hadn't expected Kurt to just walk into his house today. He wasn't ready for whatever Kurt had come to say to him. but gosh… he had to admit that seeing him was like breathing fresh air after being locked up in a room with the windows hermetically closed, breathing in and out the same stale air.

He grabbed a bottle of water before going back into the living room. Kurt had his hands twisted together on his lap and he seemed so tense that Blaine wished he could kiss his neck and rub his shoulders and make all of the tension disappear. Instead, he handed him the bottle and sat on the coffee table in front of him.

"Are you okay?" He asked, concerned.

"Honestly?" Kurt replied, leaning back against the couch. "I don't know. I've done nothing but think and think and think about it since you and Dad were in New York and I can't seem to make sense of anything."

"Have you talked to your dad again?" Blaine held his hands together tightly to stop himself from reaching out and grabbing one of Kurt's.

Kurt shook his head. "No. He doesn't know I'm here. I'm sure Finn will tell him, eventually, because he can't keep a damn secret for the life of his, but… I don't want to see him yet."

"He's worried about you," Blaine said softly.

"I know he is," Kurt's eyes finally locked with Blaine's and Blaine couldn't find the words to say how much he had missed those eyes gazing right into his soul. "And I know you are, too. I've listened to your voicemails."

"I'm sorry if I was a little bit… insistent," Blaine tilted his head to the side, uncomfortable. "It's just that I wanted to be there for you. I don't know what else to do, Kurt."

"I love you, you know," Kurt said and Blaine felt a rush of relief and sheer bliss going through him. "No matter what happens, I can't help but love you."

"I love you, too," Blaine said and he could feel the tears falling down his cheeks. He couldn't care less about them right then. "I wish I could just absorb all the pain you're feeling. I wish I could feel it for you…"

"I don't want you to do that," Kurt extended his hand and took one of Blaine's and suddenly Blaine's world seemed to be right again. "Just… be with me, okay? I don't know what I need to do or what I'll do about all of this, but I do know that I need you. I can't handle going through anything without you."

"Oh, Kurt," without being able to stop himself any longer, Blaine practically launched at Kurt, holding him in his arms as if he was scared he would disappear if he let go. "I'm so sorry. I'm so, so sorry."

"I know you are," Kurt kissed the top of his head. "And I also know you had no choice but to wait until my dad told me the truth. I don't blame you for any of this, Blaine, and I'm not mad at you…"

"Oh, thank God," Blaine pulled away just far enough to look him in the eyes. "I was so afraid of losing you…"

"You're not going to lose me, Blaine," Kurt managed to smile a bit, even though it didn't reach his eyes. "Especially not for someone else's mistakes."

"Can I kiss you?" Blaine blurted out, almost desperately. "Please, Kurt, let me kiss you. I need it so much…"

Kurt crashed their lips together urgently and their arms flew to wrap around each other and hold on tightly. All the tension seemed to disappear from Blaine's muscles and all he could care about was kissing Kurt, never stopping, never letting him go.

When they pulled away, Kurt rested his forehead against his, as he always did, and smiled again, this time a bit more tenderly. "Do you think your parents will let me stay with you for a couple of days while I try to figure out what to do?"

Blaine smiled brightly. "Of course you can stay here. You know they adore you."

"Thank you," Kurt kissed his cheek and seemed to relax a little bit.

Before Blaine had time to say more, Blaine's phone rang in his pocket. He answered the call without checking the caller ID, too busy staring at Kurt to make sure he was really, really there. "Hello?"

"Hi, Blaine," it was Katherine's tired voice and Blaine's stomach dropped for a moment. "I'm sorry to bother you again, but I can't find Kara's favorite doll. Is it at your house?"

Blaine looked around the living room until he saw the doll protruding from behind one of the couches. It was a really pretty doll, with a pink dress and brown wool as hair. "Yes, it's here. Do you think she'll need it or can it wait until tomorrow?"

"Oh, no, don't worry," Katherine answered. "I just wanted to make sure it wasn't lost. She'll be a bit fussy for a while, but it'll be okay."

"Okay," he nodded although she couldn't see him. "Are you doing alright?"

"Tired, but a little better than these past few days, at least," he could almost hear the smile in her voice. "Thanks, Blaine. See you tomorrow?"

"See you tomorrow," he confirmed before ending the call.

Kurt was watching him with interest. Blaine decided that there wasn't any more room in their relationship for secrets or lies. He needed to be honest with Kurt.

He walked to where the doll was and picked it up. Kurt frowned when he saw it, obviously confused for a moment.

"Kurt," Blaine started, wishing he didn't feel so nervous. "Remember I told you sometimes your… Katherine doesn't feel well enough to take care of Kara?"

Kurt swallowed and his eyes narrowed a bit. "I remember."

"I take care of her when that happens," Blaine said. He sat next to his boyfriend, but he didn't touch him. He allowed him to have his space. "That is almost every day lately. I pick her up at the motel where they are staying and I come here with her to take care of her so Katherinecan rest enough to look after her at night."

"Was it her? On the phone, I mean," Kurt interrupted, obviously without being able to help it.

"Yes, it was her." Blaine studied him in silence for a couple of seconds. "If it makes you feel uncomfortable, I won't bring her here while you're staying with us. You can have all the time you need, Kurt."

Kurt reached out, hesitantly, and took the doll from Blaine. He held it as if he was holding dynamite. "I don't know what I feel about all of this."

"You're not ready yet, and that's okay," Blaine assured him. He put a hand on his thigh and traced soothing circles there. "And I know you may not understand why I'm doing it, but I need to do this. I need to help Katherine with Kara."

It took a few seconds for Kurt to finally nod, but when he did, Blaine breathed out a sigh in relief. "Can we… not talk about any of this for a little while?"

"Of course," Blaine kissed his temple and scooted closer on the couch to snuggle next to him. "Do you want to watch TV? I think there's a Bachelorette marathon on today."

"That sounds good," Kurt smiled softly.

Blaine turned the TV on and let the sound of pointless reality shows drown out the tension still floating in the room. He put his head on his boyfriend's shoulder and didn't comment about the fact that Kurt was still holding the doll tightly to his chest.

* * *

Dinner that night was a bit awkward. Amelia and Harry were happy to see Kurt and received him with open arms, but it was obvious there were too many subjects floating around them that they didn't want to mention. Not once did they ask why Kurt was there, nor did they mention his mother or his sister. The conversation remained safe and even dull sometimes, but Kurt couldn't blame them. Blaine couldn't, either.

When they said they were going to bed, Blaine's parents didn't object at all when the two boys went into Blaine's bedroom. Blaine needed Kurt, he wanted to have him close after missing him for so long, and Kurt needed him, too. Their worlds seemed too far apart lately, and they knew that the only thing that could make them feel better was each other.

They got under the covers, wearing nothing but underwear and undershirts and cuddled together, their heads resting on the same pillow. Blaine was sure Kurt had fallen asleep. He was enjoying counting Kurt's heartbeats against his fingers on his chest so Kurt's voice startled him when it broke the silence between them.

"Blaine?" He whispered.

"Uhm?" Blaine hummed in response.

"W-what is Kara like?" Kurt asked, a bit unsure.

Blaine shifted until he was leaning on one elbow and looking down at Kurt in the semi darkness of the room. He studied his boyfriend quietly before he spoke. "She's absolutely beautiful. She has your eyes and your hair and your skin, too."

Kurt swallowed and Blaine traced the outline of his jaw with the tip of his index finger.

"I have a picture, if you want to see it," Blaine offered after a moment.

Kurt hesitated, but finally nodded, so Blaine reached for his phone on the bedside table, and touched the screen a few times until he found the picture he was looking for. It was Kara, the previous day, sitting on the floor in the living room and looking at the camera with a huge smile, that beautiful smile that appeared on her face only for Blaine.

The resemblance was undeniable. Even Kurt could see it and it took his breath away. This was his sister. All of this was really happening. If he'd needed further proof, then here it was.

He felt a tear escaping down his cheek and when he moved his hand to wipe it away, he accidentally touched the screen and moved to the next picture. It was also of Kara, but Blaine was in this one, too. He was holding her in his arms and she stared at him in adoration, as if Blaine was her whole world. Kurt pressed the screen again and the next picture was also Kara. And the next, and the next and the next.

"You have _a_ picture?" Kurt said incredulous. "Blaine… your whole phone is full of pictures of her."

"Uhm. She's… really photogenic," Blaine murmured, awkwardly. He took his phone away and put it on the nightstand again. "I'm sorry if it's weird for you. I just… I spend a lot of time with her and she's so cute… it's impossible not to fall instantly in love with her."

Kurt seemed thoughtful for a few seconds. "Do you… do you think I should meet her?"

"I think you should take your time to think about it and do what you think is best for you, Kurt," Blaine cupped his face affectionately. He leaned down and kissed him softly on the lips. His one last secret was pushing inside of him, trying to resurface and Blaine knew he couldn't keep it in for much longer. "There's something else I need to tell you."

"That never ends well," Kurt said, warily.

"I'm not sure you're going to like it, but…" Blaine closed his eyes. He was still risking a chance of losing Kurt. It all could end now. "Your mother didn't have anyone left who could take care of Kara once she..." he let the words hang on the air for a moment before continuing. "She was considering leaving Kara at an orphanage so…" He swallowed. This was hard. This was too hard, but so necessary. He let his hands trace the outline of Kurt's sides, just in case it was the last time. He wanted to remember everything about him. "I'm going to be designated as Kara's legal guardian."

Kurt blinked, just staring at Blaine as if he was seeing him for the first time. Then he sat up on the bed, against the pillows, slowly. "Blaine…"

"I know what you're going to say," Blaine interrupted, anxiously. "You're going to be upset and you're going to break up with me because I'm getting too involved in your family's business. But I know that one day, maybe not now, but one day, you're going to want to have a relationship with your sister, you're going to want to meet her, to be part of her life, and if she goes to an orphanage, we may never see her again." He took a breath, trying to calm down, but unable to do it. "You must think I'm crazy and maybe I am, but if you spend just ten minutes with her, if you hear her laughing, if you see her extending her little arms to you waiting for you to hold her, then you'll understand why I need to do this." Kurt was silent and Blaine couldn't tell if that was good or bad, so he just kept talking, because he couldn't stop now. "And I know that what your mom did to you was terrible, but it isn't Kara's fault and I don't want to see her suffering because of her mother's mistakes."

"So let me see if I have this straight," Kurt muttered when Blaine paused to breathe. "You're telling me that… you'll be practically adopting her? My s-sister?"

Blaine nodded slowly. "I am. And I'm sorry if this is weird or if you don't agree with it… but I can't leave a baby girl completely helpless with no one who loves her." He was shaking, but his voice was firm when he continued. "And I know this may cost me my relationship with you, but I need to do what's right, Kurt."

Kurt was silent and still. Blaine shifted so as not to be too close, to give him space. He braced himself for what was about to come, for the heartbreak, for Kurt getting out of bed, grabbing his stuff and leaving, not looking back…

"Have you thought this through?" Kurt asked instead. "Is this really what you want?"

Blaine studied Kurt's darkened profile, carefully. "Yes. I know it won't be easy, but… this is what I need to do. I know I'll never regret it."

"And what's going to happen with her when you're in college?" Kurt still didn't look at him, but at least he was talking, at least he was still there.

"I'll take her with me," Blaine answered simply. "I'm only applying to schools with day care services. NYU is one of them."

"You can't live in a dorm with a baby," Kurt whispered.

Blaine shook his head. He knew that and he was so grateful for his parents' understanding him and for helping him. "I know. I'll live in an apartment. My dad said he'll help me financially, but I'll still need to get a job, too."

"Do you realize that we'll have our hands full?" Kurt muttered as he moved to rest his head on Blaine's chest. Blaine stopped breathing for a moment. "The things we've been dreaming of doing for so long won't be the same. We'll have to adapt…"

"Kurt, are you saying…?" Blaine gasped.

"You're stuck with me, Blaine Anderson," Kurt murmured, nuzzling against his collarbone. "There's nothing you can do that will make me stop loving you. Even if that means my life will be turned upside down by raising a baby."

"Kurt…" Blaine cupped his face and leaned down to kiss him. "I love you so much."

"I love you, too," Kurt sighed. He threw an arm around Blaine's waist. "And you're right. It isn't Kara's fault, what my mother did. I can't punish her for my mother abandoning me. I can't let the same thing happen to her, too."

Blaine rubbed his back up and down. He smiled. "You still surprise me everyday. You still zig when I think you're about to zag."

"What can I say?" Kurt said around a yawn. "You bring out the best in me…"

They fell asleep tangled together, breathing together, because they didn't know what else to be, what else to do, but be together.


	6. Chapter 6

Burt Hummel loved the sounds of his garage. The metallic clash of the tools when he dropped one back into the toolbox, the roaring of the engines, the jingle of the keys when he hung them on the wooden panel behind the counter. It was comforting. It was familiar. It soothed his pain and filled his senses.

Maybe that was the reason why he was getting to the shop earlier every morning and leaving later at night, when he was sure Carole was already back from work. He hated the silence of his empty home, the memories and the fears that troubled him there. He hated that he couldn't stay away from Kurt's old bedroom, that sometimes he sat on the edge of the bed, with his face in his hands and wondered if he would ever get his son back.

His regrets seemed to choke him sometimes. They buzzed white noise in his head and they never left him alone.

He ducked out from under the car he was working on and wiped the sweat off his forehead as he blindly reached for the wrench he needed. But before he could even get close to the toolbox, a hand extended it to him.

"Thanks, Jimmy," he said, thinking it had been one of his employees.

"You're welcome."

Burt turned suddenly at the sound of his son's voice, with his heart thumping inside his chest. Kurt was standing there, with his arms crossed over his chest and looking a bit tense. But he was there, there in front of Burt.

"Kurt…"

"I think we need to talk," Kurt said, without really looking at his father. "I don't think there's much more you can say to explain yourself, but for some reason, I still need to try to understand."

Burt cleaned his hands on a dirty cloth. "Of course. Whatever you want, kiddo. Do you want to talk in my office?"

"No," Kurt shook his head decisively. "If we stay here, we'll be interrupted all the time."

"Home, then?" Burt proposed. When Kurt nodded, he guided him to his truck after letting one of the guys that worked for him know he was leaving. "When did you get back?"

"Yesterday," Kurt answered as he climbed onto the passenger seat. "I'm staying with Blaine."

"Oh," Burt started the car. "Did you two work things out, then?"

"We did, yes," Kurt kept his eyes ahead. Not once did he glance towards his father. "I understand where he stood in this whole thing."

"But you don't understand why I did what _I_ did," Burt replied darkly.

Kurt didn't say anything. He held his hands tightly laced together on his lap and stared out the window. He heard Burt sighing heavily, but they both remained silent for the rest of the drive.

The house hadn't changed at all in the short time that had passed since Kurt had left for college, but he still felt as if everything was different. His life was different. He was different. He couldn't explain it, but he knew it was true.

They sat at the kitchen table as they had done thousands of times before, but right now it seemed as if the distance between them was wider than ever. As if a whole ocean of doubts and guilts and blames were between them. For a moment, Kurt looked at the man in front of him and he had a hard time recognizing his father. Burt seemed as if he had aged years in just a few weeks.

"Do you want to eat something?" Burt offered.

"No, thanks. I had breakfast with Blaine," Kurt answered.

Burt took a deep breath. "Okay. So…"

"I have questions," Kurt interrupted, forcing himself to look at his father in the eyes. "And before I ask them, I want to know if you are going to be a hundred percent honest with me or not."

"Two hundred percent," Burt said eagerly. "I promise, Kurt. I'm done lying. I've learned my lesson."

Kurt searched through the long, long list of questions he had, that had seethed in him since he had found out the truth. Questions that had kept him awake every night. Questions that could change everything if he got the answers to them.

"If she hadn't come back…" he started, quietly. "Would you ever have told me the truth?"

Burt closed his eyes. "Probably not. I didn't want to cause you any unnecessary pain."

"Did she ever come back or call after she left? Did she ever ask you about me?" That was one of the hardest questions for Kurt, but he needed to get it off his chest.

"She called about a week after she left," Burt muttered, thoughtfully. "She told me she was sorry and that she wanted to talk to you, to explain… so I told her that you believed she was dead. She was mad, of course, but I didn't think she had any right to be. She didn't call again, except for one other time. It was your sixteenth birthday and she called in the middle of the night. She didn't say anything, she stayed silent. But I knew it was her."

"Before she left…" Kurt whispered, lost in his own thoughts as the new information swirled around in his head. "Did you see or hear anything that made you suspect what she was going to do?"

"No," Burt shook his head heavily. "I thought she was happy. She was always singing and dancing and smiling around you. I guess now, looking back, there were times when I saw she was serious and too quiet, but it was always at night after you went too bed, and I thought maybe she was just tired. She never stopped smiling around you. She was always trying to make you laugh and entertain you…"

"Was I…" he paused, gathering courage. "Was I an accident? Is that the reason she left? Because she didn't want any kids?"

"Kurt, no…" Burt said miserably. "We both wanted you."

"Then what was it? You two were young when you had me," Kurt replied, shrugging as if it didn't matter. "Maybe if she had had more time for herself before I was born…"

"You may have arrived a little earlier than we planned, but that doesn't mean you were a mistake," Burt interrupted, firmly. "Don't try to blame this on yourself. No parent should think their own dreams are more important than their child, than their family. No one should be that selfish."

"But isn't that selfish, too, though?" Kurt mumbled sadly. "Assuming someone will just forget about everything else and live for their family only? What happens when the kids grow up? What would she do now that I'm away at college if she had stayed? Would her life stop having a purpose just because she doesn't have a kid to look after?"

"Kurt, you don't undertand…"

"But I'm trying to," he cut him off. "I'm trying to, Dad."

"No. You're trying to justify her decision. You want to redeem her," Burt took his cap off and put it down on the table.

"You don't think I'm furious with her?" Kurt snapped, standing up. "You don't think I want to show up at that crappy motel where she's staying and yell at her until I have no voice left? Ask her why she didn't realize how much I needed her? Ask her why she couldn't at least be honest with me? Ask her why she didn't make any effort to keep me in her life even if she wanted to leave? Don't you think I want to know why I didn't matter enough to her to make her stay?"

"Kurt…"

"Don't you think I'm absolutely furious that she decides to come back, to try to be in my life again when she's fucking dying? Do you think that's fair? Do you think it's fair that she didn't want _me_ but that she had another baby?" Kurt could feel himself losing control, could feel the tears falling down his cheeks. He was pacing around the kitchen like a caged animal trying to break free.

"You heard about Kara?" Burt asked causing Kurt to turn to him.

"You mean my baby sister, the one my boyfriend takes care of and is absolutely in love with?" Kurt said, arching an eyebrow at him. "Yes, I've heard of her."

"I didn't know about the girl until Blaine told me," Burt muttered. "Or about Katherine being sick…"

Kurt felt his anger deflating. He dropped down back on his chair. "I don't know what to do, Dad. I don't know what's wrong and what's right anymore."

"No one is forcing you to do anything, Kurt," Burt told him as comfortingly as he could.

Silence hung over the kitchen like a blanket. Kurt was too busy thinking about what his father had just said and about everything else he had found out in the past couple of weeks to talk.

A strangled sob broke that silence, though, making Kurt look up to find Burt with his face buried in his hands.

"Dad…"

"I'm so sorry, Kurt," he mumbled, his voice muffled by his hands. "I've always wanted the best for you. I know I screwed up, but I just wanted to protect you. I know I deserve it, but these past weeks… knowing you were mad at me and not being sure if you'd ever talk to me again, if I'd ever even see you again…"

Of course Kurt was upset. Of course he was still hurt that he had lived half his life believing in a lie. But seeing his father so broken… Burt had always been the strongest man he'd ever met. The defeated, tired man in front of him reminded him of when Burt was in the hospital after his heart attack. That was an image Kurt never wanted to see again.

Before he knew what he was doing, he stood up again and walked to where his father was sitting, kneeling on the floor next to him and tugged his hands from his face so he would look at him. Kurt's eyes were full of tears, too, but the absolute misery on Burt's face couldn't compare to that.

"It doesn't matter how mad at you I am, Dad," Kurt murmured. "I'll always be your son. I'll always be a part of your life. I may need some time to get over this whole thing with mom, but it doesn't mean I'm done with you." He sighed, exhausted.

"You can have all the time you want, Kurt," Burt wiped his tears away roughly with the back of his hand. He smiled slightly. "You can have my credit card, if you want, too. Anything you want."

Kurt smiled a bit, too. "Tempting, but I think I'll pass."

He straightened up and stretched his stiff muscles as he looked at the time on the big round clock hanging on the kitchen wall. Blaine was going to watch Kara that afternoon and Kurt had insisted that Blaine could take care of her as he always did at his house and that he would stay away if he needed to.

Burt cleared his throat, obviously trying to settle himself. "Would you like to have some lunch? We can go to that diner you liked so much when you were a kid."

Kurt closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He knew now what he had to do, what he needed to do. "Maybe some other time," he said. "Could you drive me back to Blaine's now?"

If Burt was disappointed, he didn't show it. "Sure, kiddo. Whatever you want."

He needed to stop seeing his new reality through what other people told him about it. He needed to see things on his own, to see the truth and learn how to deal with it.

He needed to meet his sister.

* * *

If there was one thing Blaine loved, it was Kara's adorable giggle. And what seemed to make Kara giggle the most lately was climbing all over him and sitting on his stomach while he was laying on the floor amongst a pile of toys that she obviously didn't find as entertaining as he was.

He would pretend to be asleep and Kara would poke his cheeks and boop his nose and tug softly on his hair and when none of those things resulted in Blaine waking up, she would lean down and press their foreheads together, much like Kurt used to do after kissing him. That always made him smile, and then she would laugh.

There were days when she didn't want to stop for a minute, and she was full of energy. Those days it was almost impossible to get her to take a nap, days when she would wander all over the house in her walker with Blaine chasing her, or laugh uncontrollably while she was being tickled, or babble nonsense in such an adorable way that Blaine could never resist the temptation to kiss her chubby cheeks.

Then there were days when she obviously wanted to be held and spoiled a bit. Days when she cuddled against Blaine's chest and quietly listened to him as he read her a fairy tale or sang her a song. Usually, those were also the days when Katherine was sicker. It was as if Kara was looking for comfort, as if she understood what was happening. Or maybe it had to do with the fact that her mother didn't have enough strength to give her the attention she needed. Those days, Blaine bathed her in love, hugging her and kissing her and giving her everything she asked for.

Today was a good day. The little girl kept laughing and trying to play with Blaine's hair. He still couldn't believe how easily she had adapted to him, and it was obvious she loved him as much as he loved her.

"Are you going to make me play on the floor all day, princess?" Blaine asked, smiling up at her.

Kara was comfortably seated on his chest and put a finger on his lips.

"What is this? A finger? A yummy finger! Nom, nom, nom, nom!" Blaine muttered as he pretended to chew on her tiny finger and made Kara laugh, scrunching her cute little eyebrows and her cute little nose.

She grabbed his hand, probably to do the same as Blaine (she seemed to try to immitate what he did all the time), but, after giving it a bit of thought, she nuzzled against his palm instead.

"Aw, are you tired, Kara?" Blaine said, still smiling. "Do you want to take a nap?"

The girl, naturally, didn't answer. She blinked down at him before burying her whole hand in Blaine's hair.

"Ow, no," Blaine sighed. "I'm gonna have to stop wearing hair gel when you come over, missy. Your hand is going to be all sticky now!"

Blaine reached for her bag and searched in it for the baby wipes to clean her hand. Kara's focus now changed to the bag, and she stuck her free hand into it. She found a clean diaper and, after looking at it without interest, she let it fall on the floor before going for the bag again to see what else she could find.

"Stop right there, Kara," he said, sitting up and pushing the bag away from her. "This place is enough of a mess as it is. We don't need to throw more things around."

She pouted at him and Blaine knew he needed to build some kind of self-defense for the times she did that, because it totally melted him.

"You're not going to convince me with that adorable pouty face," Blaine said, trying to sound severe, but completely failing. "Not at all." Kara frowned. Blaine cracked. "Oh gosh, I'm never going to be able to say no to you! You're my doom! I'm doomed!"

He started tickling her and Kara fell on his chest, twisting and laughing so hard that it vibrated through her entire body. Her little feet started kicking and Blaine caught one.

"Here's my desert after that delicious finger! Nom, nom, nom!"

Kara's laugh drowned out the sound of the front door. Blaine didn't hear a thing. He was so busy pretending to nibble on Kara's big toe (which actually was adorably tiny) to look up and see Kurt standing at the doorway that connected the hallway with the living room.

Kara threw her arms around Blaine's neck and cuddled closer to him with a big sigh. Blaine's heart melted again. It tended to do that a lot around her.

He was going to speak again, probably going to make another offer for a nap, but he didn't have enough time.

"You're actually perfect with her," Kurt said, causing Blaine to snap his head to the side, startled. Kurt's eyes were a little wet and his voice sounded a bit hoarse.

"Kurt… hi," he mumbled, a bit surprised. "I… I thought you were going to stay out for a few more hours."

Kurt shrugged and took a couple more steps into the living room. "There was no point. I did what I had to do and decided to come back."

"I can take her somewhere else if you want to stay here and…"

"No," Kurt interrupted. "I… I'd like to meet her, if that's okay."

Blaine smiled softly. "Of course that's okay." He extended his hand in invitation and Kurt took the next steps to grab it. Blaine tugged on it to make him sit on the floor.

Kara turned to face him, curiosity evident in her big, blue eyes.

"Look who's here, Kara," Blaine murmured sweetly in her ear. "Do you see that beautiful boy? That's your brother, baby girl. Say hi. Can you say hi?"

"Bababababa," Kara babbled happily.

Kurt chuckled as a tear trailed down his cheek. "Hi, Kara."

"Do you want to hold her?" Blaine offered.

Kurt's eyes went wide. "Oh, no, no, I don't know how…"

"Honey, I didn't know how until I met her, either," Blaine said soothingly. "And we're both sitting on the floor. It's easy. Don't worry."

"I… okay," he nodded nervously.

Blaine grabbed Kara and sat her down on Kurt's lap. The girl looked at her brother attentively, as if she were studying him carefully.

"I don't think she likes me," Kurt looked at Blaine with worried eyes.

Blaine laughed a bit at that. "You're not going to break her if you touch her, Kurt. Go ahead, do something."

Kurt swallowed, but nodded again and grabbed Kara's tiny hand in his, hesitantly. "She's so little."

"I'm still sort of blown away by how much you two look alike," Blaine commented, watching them fondly.

"I don't think she's going to like me as much as she likes you," Kurt stared down at Kara as if he were almost scared of her.

"I've had more time with her," Blaine shrugged. "You just need to be around her a bit more."

Kurt ran his fingers through the girl's soft brown hair and looked at Blaine, biting his lip. "I have to go back to New York soon. I can't miss too many classes…"

Blaine picked at a loose thread on his jeans. "I know."

Kara seemed to find Kurt's scarf fascinating.

"Hey," Kurt muttered, putting his free hand on his boyfriend's knee. "Thanksgiving break is almost here. I'll be back in no time."

"Of course," Blaine tried to smile bravely.

"I wish all of this wasn't so hard on you," Kurt sighed and leaned against Blaine's chest, with Kara still on his lap. Blaine wrapped his arms around him and hooked his chin on his shoulder, both boys now watching the little girl playing with the scarf. "She isn't even your responsibility and…"

"I don't regret it," Blaine interrupted. "I love you, Kurt. Whatever happens to you, happens to me too."

Kara nuzzled against the scarf and snuggled onto Kurt's chest. She yawned loudly and fisted the soft fabric in her tiny hands. For once, Kurt didn't seem to care about wrinkles.

* * *

That night, Kurt went with Blaine and Kara to the motel, but when Blaine parked the car, he realized he wasn't ready to see his mother. Not yet.

"It's okay, sweetheart," Blaine soothed him when Kurt started getting anxious. "Just wait here in the car and I'll take her inside, okay? Just wait here and I'll be back in a few minutes."

He watched as Blaine climbed up the stairs with the girl in his arms.

He wasn't expecting to feel so desolated when he watched Kara go.

* * *

Kurt stayed for the rest of the weekend. On Sunday afternoon, Blaine drove him to the aiport. Kara was with them, since Katherine had been too sick that day to stay with her.

"It's just a few weeks," Blaine told him as he watched Kurt hugging Kara and trying to hold back the tears, obviously not wanting to let go. "You'll be back in a few weeks."

"I know," Kurt muttered, choking on his words a little.

"Will you call as soon as you land?" Blaine asked.

"Yes," Kurt kissed Kara's forehead sweetly. "Bye, sweetie. Be good for Blaine, okay? I'm going to miss you."

Blaine grabbed the little girl when Kurt passed her to him. Kurt cupped his face and kissed him, long and hard, not really caring who saw them.

"Thank you," Kurt mumbled against his lips. "Thank you."

"I love you," Blaine answered and now he was the one wanting to cry. He wished he could throw his arms around Kurt and beg him not to go again.

"I love you, too," one last peck, one last kiss to Kara's soft hair, and Kurt grabbed his suitcase. "Take care of her, Blaine."

"Take care of yourself, Kurt," he said instead.

Kurt walked away. Kara reached her hand, as if trying to bring him back, but when he disappeared into the crowd, she dropped it. Her lower lip started trembling.

"It's okay, princess," Blaine muttered, holding her closer to his chest. "He'll be back soon."

Kara cried all the way back home.

* * *

Considering Katherine's situation, the paperwork was less complicated than it might have been. She handed him the papers one night when he went to drop Kara off with her again.

"Just read it and sign it," she said, stopping to cough between words. "Take your time with it, Blaine."

Blaine started flipping the pages, reading a few lines here and there. "Do you have a pen?"

Katherine looked at him, confused. "You're going to sign it now? Don't you want to take it home and read it with your parents? Maybe have it checked by a lawyer?"

"I don't need to," Blaine said. "I trust you."

He could've sworn Katherine's eyes filled with tears.

* * *

In those days when Blaine didn't have Kara with him and when he didn't have homework pilling up on his desk, he still went to the garage to see Burt, or joined him and Carole for Friday night dinner.

Things were different now and it felt palpable, floating in the air between them like an invisible wall. Blaine had never felt like that around the Hummels before. They had always been a second family to him. But the sort of thing they were all going through now… it was impossible for everything to stay the same. It was the type of thing that could shake the foundations of their relationship.

Blaine knew Burt didn't understand why he was doing what he was doing to help Katherine, but he didn't really expect him to. Katherine and Burt were, after all, both stading both on opposite sides of years of regret and resentment. All Blaine wanted to do was stand in the middle and try to keep things between them as peaceful as possible.

"Can I ask you just one question?" Burt said, without really looking at him, as they did the dishes together one Friday night. Carole had been exhausted after work and had gone straight to bed as soon as they were done eating, apologizing to Blaine for not staying up a bit longer.

Blaine passed him a plate that he had just rinsed. "Of course."

"Helping Katherine… are you doing that for Kurt? Or is there another reason?" Burt stopped and put his hands on the counter, his eyes fixed on Blaine as he waited for the answer.

Blaine closed the faucet, ending the flood of water falling in the sink and drowning the kitchen in a few seconds of silence before he replied. "I think it's a bit of everything," he confessed, sighing. "I don't think anyone deserves spending the last days of their lives alone, suffering and helpless. I certainly don't want Kara paying for her mother's mistakes. And I don't want Kurt to have any regrets, either. If he doesn't want to see Katherine before it's all over, then okay, it's his decision, but I don't want him to look back in ten years and feel like he should've acted differently."

Burt dried his hands on a kitchen cloth and then turned around, leaning against the counter, looking extremely tired. "Sometimes I don't get you, kid," he said. "Sometimes I look at you and I wonder what happened to that kid who woke up with a hangover in my son's bed, because now all I can see…" he clasped a hand on Blaine's shoulder and squeezed affectionately, "Is an honorable man that I'm really proud of."

Blaine smiled weakly. "I thought you were still mad at me."

"I'm not mad at you," Burt shrugged as he turned back to the dishes. "I just wish I could let go of my resentment and stop being so bitter about all this…"

"Maybe she's changed," Blaine said. "Maybe all the mistakes she made helped her realize that she was wrong. Maybe she's not the same person who left you and Kurt behind so many years ago…"

Burt sighed, shaking his head slowly. "I don't think I can ever forgive her for hurting Kurt, for abandoning him. You don't know what it feels like seeing pain in your kid's eyes. You don't know what it is to want to protect your child from it, whatever the cost. You don't know how horrible it feels to see him suffering…"

 _I think I'm starting to know what all of that feels like_ , Blaine thought, swallowing thickly. He knew it was too soon. He knew he was too young. He knew he still had a long road ahead of him. But Blaine didn't say anything. There was too much he needed to explain to Burt, and for some reason, this didn't seem to be the right moment.

* * *

Blaine had been looking forward to Thanksgiving like nothing else in his whole life. He needed to hold Kurt, close in his arms. He had an entire weekend planned for them, including cuddles and a marathon afternoon of sex. Kut had even agreed not to go shopping on Black Friday so they could have some quiet time together to enjoy each other.

But when Kurt called from the airport when he was supposed to already be on a plane on his way to Ohio, Blaine knew, even before his boyfriend had time to say anything, that his plans were already crumbling.

"Blaine, I'm so sorry," Kurt was crying raggedly on the other end. "There's a stupid blizzard and the stupid airlines cancelled all of their stupid flights and I'm going to be stuck in New York all weekend and I…"

"Hey, Kurt, Kurt," Blaine said, soothingly. "Calm down, sweetheart, take a deep breath."

"But I wanted to see you," Kurt sniffed. "I wanted to be with you. We were really looking forward to this time together. And it's not like I can just go next weekend instead. It's going to get really crazy at school until the Christmas break and…"

"We've waited this long, we can wait a bit more," Blaine muttered, though the idea of the extra weeks of waiting made his heart shrink to a stone in his chest. He had Kara on his lap, chewing on a cookie as she watched the movie Blaine had popped on the DVD for her with interest. He hugged her tightly, needing some comfort, and rested his chin on the top of her head.

"Don't try to sound all brave and cheery for me, Blaine Anderson," Kurt replied softly. "I know you need me just as badly. I know things are hard for you back home and that you're dealing with a lot…"

"It's just that…" Blaine sighed and kissed Kara's velvety hair. "We miss you so much, Kurt."

"Gosh, I miss you, too. Both of you," Kurt exhaled loudly. "How is Kara? Is she with you now?"

"Yeah, she is," Blaine closed his eyes and tried pretending Kurt was there with them, too, but the sounds of New York and people he could hear in the background made it impossible. "We're watching Pocahontas. She likes Meeko."

"And I bet you're watching for Captain Smith, aren't you?" Kurt teased, but when Blaine didn't laugh, he got serious again. "Blaine… I'm so sorry."

"It's not your fault, honey," Kara looked up then, smiling brightly at Blaine. "What is it, Kara? Do you want to talk to Kurt? Do you want to say hi?"

"Gu!" She screamed excitedly.

Blaine could hear the smile in Kurt's voice. "I wish I could cuddle her right now." There was a pause and the sound on the other end grew louder. "Listen, baby, I have to go if I want to be able to catch a cab to go back home. It's really crowded here and it could be a while if I don't hurry."

"Okay," Blaine said. "Take care, Kurt. Call me later!"

"I will," he made an adorable kissing sound and Blaine felt a pang in his chest. He missed Kurt's kisses. "I love you!"

"I love you, too." Blaine hung up and put the phone down next to him on the couch, feeling a bit miserable. "It seems it's just you and me, baby girl."

"Gu," Kara said again.

* * *

On Thanksgiving, Blaine sat alone at home, feeling miserable. Since he had made plans with Kurt, his parents had gone out to visit some family. He thought about calling Burt and maybe joining them, knowing Carole's sisters were going to join them for the day, but he didn't feel like it. instead, he stared at the TV and watched some mindless shows until he remembered there was somewhere else he could be, with someone else who was also alone.

In ten minutes, he was in the car, with the food his mother had left for him and Kurt, driving to the Lima motel.

Katherine was surprised to see him when she opened the door. She was terribly thin and the extreme pallor of her skin was usual these days. Blaine offered her a shy smile.

"Hi," he muttered, swaying the bag with the food a bit. "Uhm. Can I come in?"

"Of course! Yes, Blaine, please, come in," she moved aside to let him into the room. "It's so cold outside. Sit by the heater for a little while, if you want."

"Oh, I'm fine," he replied. "I'm wearing a thick sweater." He removed his coat and scarf and hung them on a chair.

"What are you doing here?" She asked, curiously. "Is something wrong?"

"Oh, I just thought we could eat together," Blaine shrugged. "Kurt was supposed to come for Thanksgiving, but he was stuck in New York because of the snow, so…"

Kara was sitting on the bed and started waving her arms in the air and screaming for Blaine's attention.

"Well, hello, princess!" He said happily, scooping her up in his arms.

"Are you sure you don't want to spend today with some family or some friends?" Katherine muttered, unsure. "You don't need to feel like you have to be here with me just because…"

"I _am_ with family," Blaine smiled as he kissed Kara's chubby cheek.

One of the few genuine smiles that he had ever seen appeared on Katherine's lips as she crossed the room to join the other two.

* * *

That was the last time Blaine saw Katherine looking even remotely okay.

From that point on, it all went down hill.


	7. Chapter 7

Kurt arrived at his dorm room and practically crawled up the steps that separated him from his bed. He hated exams. He had never been as stressed as he had been these past weeks in his entire life.

 _Just a few minutes_ , he promised himself as he hugged his pillow. _Just a few minutes to rest my eyes and then I'll start packing…_

Those few minutes must have turned into a couple of hours, because the next thing he knew, he was being startled awake by Finn slamming the door shut behind him.

"Oh, dude, sorry," he said, apologetically. "I didn't know you were sleeping!"

Kurt rubbed at his tired eyes and checked his cellphone to see what time it was. "I wasn't supposed to fall asleep…"

"You were up all night studying," Finn shrugged. "Do you wanna go grab something to eat?"

"I can't. I need to pack for tomorrow," Kurt sat up on the bed and willed his body to start working properly.

"So? I'm gonna pack in the morning," Finn dropped his school stuff on his bed.

Kurt glared at him. "I swear, Finn Hudson, if you make me miss our flight back home, I'm going to kill you," he muttered threateningly. "I was already stuck here at school for Thanksgiving, I'm not spending Christmas without Blaine, too."

"Calm down, bro. We'll be on time!" Finn shook his head. "Now come on, let's eat something. I know you skipped both dinner last night and breakfast this morning, so you gotta be starving."

"Fine, fine," Kurt sighed and stood up. He looked for his wallet in his bag and noticed his phone was blinking. He had a missed call from Blaine. He dialed his number as he chose a coat and a scarf from his closet.

"Kurt, hi," Blaine's soft voice said.

"Hi, honey," he exclaimed cheerfully, slipping into his favorite red coat.

"How did your exam go?" Blaine asked.

"Hopefully, I'll pass," Kurt rolled his eyes at Finn, who was gesturing for him to hurry up. "I was going to go have some dinner with Finn now. He'll kill me if I make him wait. Can I call you when we're back?"

"Actually…" Blaine took a deep breath. "You know I don't want to pressure you or anything when it comes to your mother, right?"

Kurt frowned and sat on the edge of the bed. "Yeah…"

"Well, I…" Blaine cleared his throat. "I'm just going to tell you this because I know you'll need some time to think things through, so the sooner I tell you, the better…"

"You're scaring me, Blaine," Kurt muttered. "What's going on?"

"I think you need to make a decision now on whether you want to see Katherine or not," Blaine said, his voice tight and serious. "I know this isn't something you need to decide while being pressured, but, Kurt… I just don't think she has much time left."

Kurt swallowed with difficulty and was silent for a few minutes.

"I'm just telling you this because if you decide you do want to talk to her… it's gonna have to be while you're here for your break," Kurt could hear Blaine chok on his words.

"S-she's not doing well?" Kurt asked, trying to control his breathing.

"No, honey. She's not," Blaine answered simply, sadly.

Suddenly, going back home didn't sound as good as it had five minutes ago.

* * *

Their legs were tangled together under the sheets and they were still trying to catch their breath. Kurt rested his head on Blaine's bare chest and Blaine kissed the top of his head as he wrapped his arms around him tighter.

And then Kurt started crying.

Blaine felt the tears on his skin before he heard the sobs. "Hey…" He said softly, cupping Kurt's face in his hands to make him look at him.

"I don't know what to do," Kurt mumbled. "What should I do, Blaine?"

"I can't tell you what to do, sweetheart," Blaine stroked the outline of Kurt's jaw with his thumb. "This is something you need to decide for yourself."

"But…" Kurt wiped his tears from his cheeks and pulled himself up to lean on the pillow next to his boyfriend. "What can I say to her? Should I tell her how upset I am that she walked out of my life? Or should I just tell her I forgive everything she did because she's dying? Should I pretend nothing else matters?"

"I think she just wants you to be honest with her," Blaine rubbed his back comfortingly. "And I think she wants to be honest with you, too."

"I'm scared of what she'll say to me," Kurt pressed his face against the crook of Blaine's neck and breathed in deeply. "I don't know if I'm ready."

"No one is forcing you to do anything…"

"The fact that she's running out of time is forcing me," Kurt looked right into Blaine's eyes, though it wasn't very easy to see in the darkness of his bedroom. "What if I decide I'm not ready now, but in a year, when I feel like I could use some answers, it's too late?"

Blaine stayed silent, wishing he had something to offer that could help Kurt, but he really didn't know what to do, either.

He just held his boyfriend closer and hoped that was enough.

* * *

Blaine had Kara every day, all day now. He would keep her over night some times during the week, but Katherine really wanted to spend some time every day with her, so even if she wasn't feeling alright, she made the effort to get out of bed and play with her and feed her.

Kurt didn't want to be separated from Kara and Blaine while he was in Ohio, and that meant they would have to talk to Burt, who still didn't know he had met his sister.

He sat at the kitchen table the next morning for breakfast with a cup of coffee, and Blaine still half asleep as he waited for his dad to sit in front of him.

"Any plans for the day, guys?" Burt asked cheerfully, happy to have his son back home.

"Yes, actually," Kurt answered, bracing himself for what was to come. "We're gonna pick up Kara and take her somewhere…"

Burt's facial expression changed in a matter of seconds. "You… you're going to go meet her?"

"I've already met her," Kurt kept his eyes fixed on his father's. "Last time I was here in Lima."

"I see," Burt nodded slowly.

"There's… there's actually something else important we need to tell you," Kurt grabbed Blaine's hand under the table, nervously. Burt's attention was fully on them. "Once m-mom…" Kurt paused, unable to say the words. It all felt so weird. "Blaine's going to be Kara's legal guardian."

" _What?_ " Burt turned to Blaine, wide eyed and shocked.

Blaine felt instantly intimidated. "I just…"

"We're taking Kara to New York with us next year," Kurt continued, needing to have everything out there as soon as possible. "We're going to raise her and I expect you to support the decision we've made."

"Kurt," Burt babbled, visibly speechless.

"We love her," Kurt said before Burt had time to put his thoughts together. "We love her and we don't care how young we are or how crazy this is, so if that's what you're thinking, we don't want to hear it."

"You guys are only _eighteen_ ," Burt replied, finally finding his words.

"We wouldn't be the first eighteen year old parents…" Blaine stopped, looked at Kurt with hesitant eyes and turned back to Burt, "Or guardians. Brother and boyfriend raising a baby. I…"

"See? You don't even know what this is," Burt stood up, throwing his arms in the air. "This is insane…"

"I don't care about the titles and I certainly don't care about our age!" Kurt exclaimed. "You were just a few years older than me when I was born. Are you saying you wish you wouldn't have had me when you were so young?"

"Of course not, Kurt, I…"

"Then why is it different for me?" Kurt cut his father off, gripping Blaine's hand so tightly he was almost crashing his bones. "We can do this. Blaine's been taking care of her since he met her and he's done a fantastic job! Kara loves him. You should see them together…"

"You're in college, Kurt," Burt shook his head. "How are you going to raise a baby and go to college?"

"We know it won't be easy but we'll figure things out," Blaine said calmly. He glanced at Kurt quickly, and saw how anxious he was. "I think what Kurt needs right now is your support. We'll discuss all the details with you later. We'll talk everything through… but Kurt needs you to have his back."

"I'll always have your back," Burt leaned across the table and put a hand on his son's shoulder. "Kurt… always. But I wanted something different for you."

Kurt didn't answer. He just stared at his father and silently begged him to understand. But when Burt sighed, took his seat back and sipped his coffee slowly, trying to act nonchalantly, Kurt knew that he still hadn't convinced him and that even if he could count on his dad helping them, he still believed he was making a mistake.

And Kurt needed to change that.

* * *

Kurt waited in the car while Blaine picked up Kara at the motel room. He twisted his hands in his lap, anxiously. Would he ever be ready to confront his mother? Would he be wait too long? Just the thought of seeing her was making him a bit nauseas. He opened the door and climbed out of the car, hoping the cold air would help him feel better.

He saw Blaine coming down the stairs with Kara in his arms all bundled up so she would stay warm, carrying her bag over his shoulder and her walker under his arm. He rushed to help him and, as soon as the little girl noticed him, she squealed in delight and extended her little arms at him.

"Kara!" Kurt exclaimed, grabbing her and hugging her tightly to his chest. "Hi, lovely. Hi. I missed you…"

Blaine watched them fondly as Kara booped her brother's nose with her mitten-covered hands, making him laugh with adoration. "It's too cold to be standing out here, let's get in the car."

"You're right," Kurt said, kissing her cheeks. "We don't want this pretty girl to get a cold, do we? No, we don't!" He added, with his voice pitched higher, making Kara giggle in delight. "I'll sit in the backseat with her."

"Of course you will," Blaine said, rolling his eyes, but secretly loving every second of Kurt and Kara together. He put the walker and the bag in the trunk of the car and opened the backseat door so Kurt could climb in with her.

Kurt buckled Kara in her baby seat before getting comfortable himself. "Where does my baby girl want to go?"

"I thought maybe we could go shopping?" Blaine asked as he sat on the driver's seat. "I didn't have time to buy all of the presents I needed to buy, so…"

"Honey, say no more," Kurt winked at him as he leaned closer to kiss Kara's forehead. "I'm in."

"I thought you'd be on board with this," Blaine laughed. "Good thing I have Kara's stroller in the trunk, because I have the feeling it'll be a long day."

"Oh, she's gonna love shopping with her dad-…" Kurt cut off his words, realizing what he had been about to say and cleared his throat awkwardly.

Blaine turned to look at him with loving eyes. "Maybe we do need to talk about how we're going to raise her…"

Kurt nodded without looking at him, a bit uncomfortably. "Sure. Just… not now. I just want to enjoy having her with us today. Please?"

"Okay," Blaine smiled and turned the engine on. "Let's go, then!"

Neither of them noticed, in their absolute bliss of being with Kara again, the solitary figure in a second floor window, watching them and crying bitter tears.

* * *

Shopping with a kid wasn't the easiest thing to do in the world. Kara didn't want to be put in the stroller now that Kurt was there and she would cry every time he let go of her. Blaine couldn't help but smile at that.

"You're lucky we're not buying clothes for me, young lady," Kurt muttered, schooching her sides and making her giggle. "But you're not going to do this to me every time we go out shopping."

"I have the feeling you'll have to get used to it, Kurt," Blaine laughed, taking his phone out of his pocket to snap a picture of Kurt and Kara.

"Oh, I don't think so," Kurt chuckled. "I just need to get this girl educated about the art of shopping." He paused and looked at Kara with narrowed eyes and asked suspiciously, "Kara… do you need to have your diaper changed?"

Kara didn't say anything. She just stared at him with her big, blue, adorable eyes as foul odor filled the air around them.

"She needs to have her diaper changed," Kurt sang, rolling his eyes and looking at Blaine. "Let's take her to the bathroom."

They walked through the mall in the direction of the bathroom, Kurt carrying Kara carefully away from his body and Blaine pushing the stroller with the diaper bag on it. But once they arrived at the hallway where the bathrooms were, they stopped.

"Uhm," Blaine muttered, biting his lip.

"How are we going to do this?" Kurt asked. He looked at the sign on the ladies' room that indicated that bathroom contained with a changing table for babies. "We can't go in there."

"And the men's bathroom isn't the cleanest place to change her…" Blaine said, hesitating.

"Why can't there be a changing table in the men's bathroom?" Kurt said, irritated. "Aren't there any single fathers out there or anything? This is so frustrating."

"Well, we need to change her somewhere…" Blaine looked around. There was a plastic bench against one of the walls next to a pay phone. "I guess that will have to do…"

Blaine put the changing mat on the bench and kneeled on the floor. Kurt put Kara down on it and sat next to her to stop her from falling off the bench if she moved too much. Blaine unbuttoned her clothes and took the dirty diaper off as Kurt kept her distracted with a toy.

"Hold her steady, sweetie," Blaine muttered as he tried to fasten the new diaper on place.

There was a snort and then a cold voice said. "I can't believe anyone would allow a couple of fags to take care of a child…"

They both turned around. There was a guy, probably in his late twenties, standing by the pay phone, staring at the with disgust. Kurt decided to ignore him and turned back to Kara to urge Blaine to quickly finish dressing her, but he saw Blaine's hands were shaking and the icy anger in his eyes and he knew it meant trouble.

"She's certainly better off with us than with a bigoted ignorant jackass like you," he said, with his jaw tense and his hands forming fists where they were resting next to Kara on the bench.

"Blaine…" Kurt muttered, warningly. "Don't. Let's just go…"

"Listen to your slut, homo," the guy smirked. "Take your perverted, disgusting imitation of a family somewhere else where I don't have to see it."

"I'm so sick of people like you," Blaine stood up, turning to face the tormenter. Kurt, whose hands were also shaking with nerves, quickly picked up their things and then grabbed Kara in his arms, ready to bolt with her if the idiot tried anything. "I don't want to listen to any of your narrow-minded opinions. Now get out of here and leave us alone."

Kara's lower lip started trembling until she burst out crying. Kurt shushed her and cuddled her against his chest. "Ssh, baby girl, it's alright…"

"And you know what _I'm_ sick of?" The guys stepped closer to Blaine and Kurt was sure he was going to have a panic attack soon. "I'm sick of you freaks acting like we have to accept how abnormal you are. You shouldn't be together, you shouldn't get married and you shouldn't be able to have kids. You and your slut should be locked up somewhere where we don't have to see your faggy faces and you should take that brat with you, because I'm sure as hell she'll be just as sick as you two are!"

"Don't you dare talk to my boyfriend and my daughter like that!" Blaine snapped, taking a step forward, but not being able to get much further because Kurt grabbed his arm and tugged him back. "Who do you think you are to come over here and insult us?"

"Blaine, please…" Kurt begged. He had tears in his eyes now, and Kara wouldn't stop crying.

The other guy seemed about ready to punch Blaine in the face when another voice interrupted.

"What's going on here?"

They all turned around and saw a security guard standing at the end of the hall staring at them with an arched eyebrow.

"Nothing. We were just talking," the guy said, nonchalantly.

The security guard glanced at Kurt, who was trying to calm Kara and had tear tracks down his cheeks. He looked at the other guy, severely. "You better leave now if you don't want me to call the cops."

"Whatever. I'm not ever coming back now that I know what kind of people come here to shop," the guy shrugged and walked away after directing a last disgusted look at Kurt and Kara.

"You guys doing okay?" The security guard asked.

Kurt only nodded. Blaine was still really tense. "Yes. Thank you very much, sir."

"It's alright. Just be careful next time and try to avoid any arguments," the man smiled gently and then turned around and left too.

"Kurt…" Blaine wiped his tears away. "I'm so sorry. I just got so angry…"

"Let's just go to the car, please," Kurt muttered. Blaine immediately grabbed the rest of Kara's stuff that was still on the bench and followed Kurt outside with the stroller.

Kara soon calmed down but the crying must have exhausted her because by the time they reached Blaine's car in the parking lot, she had fallen asleep on Kurt's shoulder. Kurt sat in the backseat with her, holding her safe in his arms and hummed softly as he rubbed her back.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to do that," Blaine said as soon as he sat on the driver's seat. He turned to be able to look at Kurt. "I'm just do damn tired of the hate we get here all the time and not being able to be ourselves. I'm sick of this town and its people…"

"I know you are, Blaine," Kurt murmured, kissing Kara's head and rocking her slightly. "But you can't do this, Blaine. You just can't. What if that guard never showed up? What if that guy tried something? What if he hurt you? What if he tried to do something to Kara? We can't take that risk."

Blaine covered his face with his hands. "I know. I know. Gosh."

"We've dealt with this a million times. We can take it for a few more months," Kurt extended his free hand to grab one of Blaine's hands and pull it from his face. "It'll be alright."

Blaine nodded as he swallowed and closed his eyes to try and let some of the tension slip from his body.

Kurt hesitated, but before he could stop himself, the words were escaping through his lips. "You called Kara your daughter."

Blaine's eyes snapped open. "W-what?"

"You called Kara your daughter," Kurt repeated, holding his breath.

"I… I didn't realize I had," Blaine seemed a bit uneasy, as if hoping Kurt wasn't mad. "I'm sorry?"

"Don't be," Kurt shook his head. "She'll legally be like your daughter. I guess it makes sense that you think of her like that…"

"But she's your sister…" Blaine replied.

"She is," Kurt said. "But… if you think about it, if… _when_ we decide to have kids in the future, we'll adopt them and… it would be a lot like this, I guess. I don't even know what I'm saying." Kurt blushed and turned to face the window.

"I don't want things to be weird for you…" Blaine reached out to cup Kurt's cheek.

"Weird? I think things are already quite weird in my life," Kurt gave him a crook smile.

"We don't have to decide this now," Blaine shrugged. "We still have time."

"Right," he turned his head and kissed Blaine's warm palm. "Now drive, silly. I wanna go home."

"Yes, dear," Blaine winked before turning the engine on and pulling out of the parking lot.

* * *

Finn and Burt got home late that night. They had been at the garage after Finn had insisted he wanted to help Burt at the shop for a little bit. Burt knew that working on cars was one of Finn's favorite ways to bond with him, and he had to admit it was one of his, too, so he had allowed him to join him.

Carole had the night shift at work, so Burt had been thinking about enjoying a night with his boys at home all day. But when he walked into the living room, he stopped short in his tracks.

Kurt and Blaine were asleep together on the couch. A movie was playing on the TV, long forgotten by the boys, who were wrapped in a blanket they always kept on the back of the sofa for exactly that reason.

Burt had walked in on his son and his boyfriend sleeping together on the couch numerous times. It wasn't that that had made him freeze. It was the baby sleeping between them with her tiny hand fisting Kurt's shirt and with Blaine's hand resting on her little back as if he was keeping her in place, making sure she was safe even while he was asleep.

He was struck by the fact that those three looked so naturally perfect together, as if they had already been a family for years. He looked at Kurt and didn't see his still teenage boy who was in his first year of college. He saw an adult man, sleeping on the couch with his husband and his baby daughter…

"Oh, whoa, I wasn't expecting that," Finn said, standing next to Burt and already munching on some snacks he had found in the kitchen.

"Ssh, let them sleep," Burt put a hand on Finn's shoulder and guided him back out of the living room.

"So, uhm," Finn scratched the back of his head awkwardly. "That's Kurt's sister?"

Burt sighed and nodded slowly. "That's their little girl."

Finn looked at him, confused, but instead of asking more questions, he just popped another snack into his mouth.

* * *

Kurt woke up startled, to a soft cry. He opened his eyes and took only two seconds to remember he had fallen asleep next to Blaine and Kara while watching some animated movie they had found on TV.

"Sh, Kara, sh," he said soothingly, standing up with the baby and leaving the room quickly so they wouldn't wake up Blaine. "What's up, sweetie? Are you hungry?" He walked into the kitchen but he stopped when he saw Burt was sitting there, with a cup of coffee and the newspaper spread on the table, looking at him. "Dad… hi."

"Hi," Burt smiled slowly.

"I, uhm," Kurt took a deep breath. He took a few steps closer to his father. "This is Kara. Say hi, Kara."

Kara blinked as she stared at Burt, curiously.

"She looks so much like you…" Burt muttered, unable to take his eyes off the girl.

"That's what Blaine says," Kurt smiled and it seemed to Burt that it was kind of a proud smile. He walked to the fridge and opened it. "Let's see… Blaine said he put some of her food in here…"

Blaine came into the kitchen in that moment, yawning. "Bottom shelf, honey."

"Oh, there it is!" Kurt grabbed a plastic container and, before moving to the counter, passed Kara into Blaine's arms as he sat at the table. "Hold her while I heat her food."

Blaine sleepily kissed Kara's hair and nuzzled his nose against it, loving how soft it was.

"You two look like an old married couple sometimes," Burt chuckled fondly.

Blaine's lips curled up in a pleased smile, but Kurt looked at his father over his shoulder with an arched eyebrow. "I'm sorry? I heard you say I'm old?"

"Fine. Married couple, then," Burt rolled his eyes. "The way you two act around each other…" Taking a deep breath, he gathered courage to say his next words. "You're going to be amazing with Kara. It's so obvious just by seeing you guys with her for two minutes. You're going to be excellent parents or guardians or brothers or whatever it is you decide you want to call what you are for her."

Kurt, who had been pouring her food from the plastic container into a glass bowl so he could put it on the microwave, turned around and looked at his father with big, bright eyes. "Do you mean that?"

"I mean that," he nodded. "I've always wanted you to go see the world or have amazing experiences and try new things or just have a great time and do what I didn't get to do when I was younger… but maybe this is right for you. Maybe you don't need to wait when you already have what makes your life perfect here within reach…"

Kurt dropped on the counter the spoon he had been using and crossed the kitchen in three long strides to envelop his father in the fiercest of hugs as Blaine looked on with a pleased smile.

Maybe things were starting to fall into place.

* * *

Kurt said goodbye to Blaine and Kara on Christmas Eve. Blaine had said that he wanted to take the girl to Katherine so she could spend some time with her on Christmas and that he would pick her up the next day before coming back to the Hummel's house.

Once he was alone with his thoughts (it was incredible the enormous distraction that being around a nine month old baby provided. He had barely had time to think), memories invaded him.

His memories had mostly faded, childhood moments blurred by the passage of time. There was one Christmas Eve he remembered particularly, from when he was around five. His mother had tucked him in bed and kissed his cheek and right before she closed the door behind him after saying goodnight, he had stopped her.

"Mommy?"

"Yes, baby?" She tilted her head to look at him with a little smile.

"I've been a very good boy this year, haven't I?" He asked, biting his lip.

"Of course, Kurt," she walked back into the room and sat on the edge of his bed, resting a hand on his chest. "Are you worried Santa isn't going to bring you any presents?"

"I didn't ask for presents this year," Kurt answered, hugging his teddy bear a little closer. "I asked Santa to bring me friends I can play with."

Katherine blinked and frowned. "What about your friends at school?"

"I don't have any since I told Tommy he had pretty eyes," Kurt looked incredibly miserable. "They tell me I'm weird and they push me around…"

"Oh, baby," Katherine pulled him into her arms and nested him against her chest.

Kurt couldn't remember what she had said after that, but he did remember seeing her cry and not understanding why.

Santa didn't bring him friends the next morning. Under the tree, he found beautiful new clothes and that fairy tales book he had fallen in love with at the book store when he had been there with his mom. The one with pretty princeses, all with beautiful dresses on the cover. There was also a big, plastic truck, which remained completely untouched.

Kurt tossed and turned on the bed endless hours, trying to shove those thoughts and memories to the back of his mind where they belonged. But as the darkness around him became thicker, the house grew more and more silent and night advanced slowly towards the day, he couldn't sleep. His mother was everywhere, in a way she hadn't been in years. For a moment, he almost swore he could feel the touch of her lips to his cheek and before his eyes flashed the images of hundreds of goodnight kisses she had given him.

By the time morning came and he could hear Carole and his Dad moving around the kitchen, he was beyond tired and his mood was grim. Knowing there was no point in staying in bed, he got up and, after slipping into one of Blaine's hoodies that he had stolen from his boyfriend to take to New York with him, he went down the stairs, not even bothering to fix his hair.

But once he stood at the kitchen's doorway, he froze. This wasn't the house where he had grown up. It wasn't the same place where he had lived with his mother. Still, he could see Katherine in that kitchen, so clearly, as if she was really there. He could remember the smells of breakfast and her freshly washed hair mixed together and it hit him like a freight train. He could see her dancing around the table as she set down the plate with toast before dancing her way to the fridge to get the orange juice…

"Good morning, kiddo!" Burt said with a smile, snapping Kurt out of his daze. "Merry Christmas!"

Kurt forced a smile of his own onto his lips. "Merry Christmas to you, too, Dad, Carole."

"I'm making French toast, sweetheart, just the way you like them!" Carole announced happily. "Sit down and I'll get you some in a minute."

Normally, Kurt would have helped Carole even if she didn't ask him to, but today he was too tired. He sat at the table and thanked his father when he poured him a cup of coffee, but he was still lost in his thoughts.

"When is Blaine joining us again?" Carole asked as she put his plate in front of him.

"I think he was going to stay with his parents for lunch," Kurt answered, trying to pay attention to what his step-mom was asking. "He should be here sometime in the afternoon."

"Wonderful," Carole sat down next to him and kissed his cheek. "I bought him a sweater. He'll look very cute in it."

"He looks cute in everything," Kurt agreed, smiling fondly.

Kurt tried to focus on his conversation with Carole. He tried to join her and Burt in their teasing when Finn showed up in the kitchen about an hour later, with his hair disheveled, one sock missing and asking about presents. He tried to open his presents with enthusiasm. He replied to all the text messages his friends sent him.

But he wasn't really there. He was lost in an echo of times that were long gone and wrapped in his mother's memory, unable to break free.

* * *

"You're very quiet," Blaine muttered, with his eyes fixed on the road, as he drove to the motel.

Instead of picking up Kara before going to the Hummel's house, as they had agreed, he had stopped to see Carole before she had to leave for her shift at work and, allow Katherine more time with her daughter on their last Christmas together.

Kurt was looking out the window, still in the same brooding mood he had been in since the previous night. "I'm tired. I diddn't sleep too much last night."

"Everything alright?" Blaine eyed him with concern.

Kurt just nodded.

"Kurt…"

"Maybe all of this is getting to me," Kurt sighed. "Maybe knowing that I'm running out of time is getting to me."

Without taking his eyes off the road, Blaine reached to grab Kurt's hand, stroking his knuckles with his thumb soothingly. "I wish I could go through all of the pain and the confusion for you…"

Kurt rolled his eyes. "I think you're already doing enough. I don't know what I'd do without you, Blaine. You've managed to keep me sane through all of this drama."

Blaine parked in his usual spot next to the stairs and squeezed his hand. "I just want to make you happy."

Kurt leaned cupping Blaine's face gently. "As long as you're with me, I'll be happy, no matter what."

"Good," Blaine muttered against his lips before kissing him deeply and softly. "Okay, I'm going in for Kara. It'll be just a minute."

"Sure," Kurt nodded with his stomach twisting as he watched Blaine pull away and get out of the car to run up the stairs.

He was alone with his thoughts again. Everything he had been thinking of since the previous night came back suddenly, making his ears buzz and his head ache. He felt the goodnight kisses and the million I love yous and the arms wrapped around him every time he had a nightmare and his mother's laugh as they danced around the kitchen table and her lips pressing against his knee where he had a big scrape after falling off his bike, and then Burt's sad eyes when he came back from school to an empty house and the news that his mom was gone, dead, vanished.

Kurt was out of the car before he even knew what he was doing. He heard the sound of his steps as he ran up the stairs with his heart racing and his ears buzzing even louder. He couldn't see anything, he just knew he was moving.

One of the doors on the second floor opened then, and the wind carried the sound all the way to Kurt.

"Say bye to mommy, Kara!" Blaine exclaimed cheerfully.

Kurt was blinded by the mixture of confusing feelings swirling inside of him and only stopped once he was standing at that same door.

"K-Kurt?" Blaine's eyes went wide when he noticed his boyfriend was there at his side. "What are you doing, sweetheart?"

Kurt forced himself to keep his gaze on the other boy. He ignored Kara's arms extending to him, asking to be held. "Take Kara to the car, Blaine."

"Kurt…" Blaine muttered, warily.

"Please, Blaine," Kurt said firmly. He could see from the corner of his eye a frail figure standing a few steps away from the door and his heart wouldn't stop beating wildly. "Just… Just take Kara with you. I'll be down in a few minutes."

Blaine glanced between Katherine and Kurt, hesitantly, but he finally nodded. He kissed his boyfriend's cheek. "Fine. Let me know if you need me, honey."

Kurt made a gesture that was supposed to be a nod, but he wasn't sure if it came out right. Blaine reluctantly walked away with Kara, who had started pouting when Kurt didn't pay any attention to her, as she looked over his shoulder before he climbed down the stairs.

Kurt entered the room and pushed the door closed. He took a deep breath before he finally looked up.

It was like a punch to the stomach to see the woman standing in front of him. She didn't quite match the memory Kurt had kept all these years. She was thinner, not as tall as he remembered her, and terrifyingly pale. Her face was gaunt and there were dark marks under the blue eyes that looked so much like his and Kara's, but they already looked so lifeless at the same time.

She looked truly sick.

Kurt couldn't find any words at first. He just stared at her, not knowing what he was feeling and with his mind gone completely blank after all those hours of recalling every memory he had of her.

Katherine waited, uncertainly, twisting her hands together nervously and with her gaze wandering all over him as if she was trying to recognize in the man the boy she had left behind over ten years ago.

When he stayed silent for what seemed a very long time, Katherine sighed and decided to try and break the ice somehow, even though she had no idea what to say now that she actually had her son right there in front of her.

"Blaine is amazing," she said timidly. "I can see why you love him so much…"

Her voice. Her voice was exactly the same. Neither the time nor her illness had affected it at all and it seemed to finally wake Kurt up from whatever daze he was in.

"Why?" He asked, because it all came down to that. "Just… _why_?"

"Kurt…" Her face crumbled and she immediately seemed on the verge of tears.

"I totally understand what it's like to have a dream you need to follow," Kurt said, feeling himself getting angrier and angrier every second, unable to stop it from spreading all over him. "I swear, I do understand that. But did you really need to leave your family behind? Did you really feel the need to walk away from us without even a word of fucking explanation? Without ever asking for our support?"

Katherine lowered herself slowly onto a chair that was near her, but didn't say anything.

"Didn't you think about maybe discussing what you wanted to do with Dad?" He needed it all out. He couldn't let all that resentment eat at him like a poison. "He would've tried to understand. He loved you so much. He would've moved to the end of the earth for you. Or was it because you didn't love him anymore? Didn't we mean enough to you to even _try_ to keep us in your life?"

"It wasn't anything like that, Kurt," she said weakly.

"Then, what was it?" He practically screamed. "What? What was it about staying with us that made you so unhappy that you had to run away?"

"I was scared," Katherine replied, shaking her head. "I've always been scared. Your dad wasn't made for the life I dreamed of and I knew that dragging him with me would've made him miserable…"

"Don't you think that finding out his wife had abandoned him made him miserable, too?" Kurt asked bitterly, leaning back against the door, needing some sort of support.

"I know I made a mistake, Kurt," Katherine looked up at him with sad eyes. "Don't you think I've regretted it every day since I left? But I couldn't come back because you thought I was dead."

"So you're going to blame all this on Dad, now?" Kurt had never imagined himself talking so harshly to his mother, but he had never imagined these circumstances either.

"Of course not," Katherine brushed the hair that was falling on her forehead away. "He did what he had to do to protect you. But that doesn't mean I'm not sorry. I've thought of you non stop. I've imagined you growing up all these years and I can't believe how tall and handsome you've gotten…" a teary smile appeared on her face.

"Just… no," Kurt covered his eyes with his hand. "Don't do that. Don't try to get all sentimental on me as if I could just forgive and forget what you did."

"It's okay if you don't forgive me, Kurt," she muttered. "Really. It is. I just wanted to see you one last time and apologize, even though it doesn't count for much now…"

"No. You know what? It doesn't," there it was, the anger again. "It doesn't count at all. It's late. It's too late. We don't know each other anymore. I'm not the boy you remember and you're not the woman I remember, either. We're different people. We missed our train and you're going to be gone soon, anyway, so it doesn't fucking matter…" A sob escaped through his lips involuntarily and when he looked at her again, there were tears in his eyes. "You had no right to do this. I've already dealt with your death. I've accepted it. I've moved on. You can't just show up again and ask me to do it all over again. We're strangers now and I shouldn't feel like this! I've already lost my mom and that isn't you anymore!"

"Kurt, please…" she was crying now, too.

"This was a bad idea…" he muttered, pulling away from the door. "I don't know why I came here. I don't know why I thought this would help somehow…"

"I'm sorry," Katherine said again. "I'm so sorry. I'm sorry that I wasn't the mother you deserved and I'm sorry that I'm complicating things for you now. I'm sorry that seeing me was useless for you. But thank you from the bottom of my heart for giving me the chance to see you…"

Kurt had his hand on his doorknob, but somehow he couldn't open the door, as if an invisible force was stopping him. He could feel the tear tracks on his cheeks. He felt as if he had a million things more to say, but at the same time, he felt he was finished.

"Kurt," she spoke almost in a whisper and at first he didn't know if he had imagined it or not. "I know I have no right to ask you anything… but please… I… Kara…"

"I know," he answered, and his voice sounded as tired and broken as hers. "I know."

And because he felt like he would completely break down if he didn't get out of there, he finally pulled the door opened and went out to the cold December air that hit his face like a slap.

He skipped down the stairs and towards Blaine's car as quickly as he could.


	8. Chapter 8

Blaine was sitting in the backseat with Kara, glancing at the building every now and then as if he'd be able to find the answers he needed there. There was no sign of Kurt and several minutes had passed already. He had the engine and the heat on, but he was thinking about maybe venturing back upstairs if his boyfriend didn't come back soon. He was worried about Kara sitting in the cold car for too long.

The little girl had finally stopped crying as he cuddled her to his chest and kissed her and sang to her. She had clung to him and stared in adoration up at him until her eyelids started drooping and then she fell asleep. He had gently placed her in her car seat and covered her with a blanket. She looked peaceful and he didn't feel like disturbing her at all, but it was really cold, even with the heat on and he didn't want her to get sick…

Suddenly, he saw Kurt running down the stairs towards the car. Blaine opened the door and climbed out as soon as he saw Kurt was crying. Even when he was still several steps away, he could see it.

"Kurt…"

"Let's go," Kurt said hoarsely, wiping his tears away roughly.

"Sweetheart…" Blaine caught him in his arms and pressed him to his chest. "Are you okay?"

"Yes," Kurt answered, but he shook his head right after the word escaped through his lips. "No. I don't know. Just… can you take me home?"

"Of course," Blaine kissed his temple and opened the passenger door to help his boyfriend in.

The drive back to the Hummel's house was silent. Blaine glanced Kurt's way every few minutes just to check that he was alright, but the boy kept staring out his window, with his legs pulled up to his chest. He didn't even give Blaine enough time to finish parking the car in the driveway before he got out and ran towards the house.

Blaine's first instinct was to follow him immediately, but he couldn't leave Kara alone in the car, so he grabbed the diaper bag and the sleeping girl from the backseat before walking inside.

Finn was standing in the doorway to the kitchen, eating a bowl of cereal and staring up the empty stairs, confused. "What's up with him?"

"He saw his mom," Blaine answered, moving past him into the living room and gently easing Kara down on the couch. He surrounded her in pillows so she wouldn't roll off to the floor. "Do you mind watching her for a moment while I check on him?"

"Whoa, dude," Finn's eyes seemed about to pop out of his skull. "What do you want me to do with a baby?"

"Nothing, Finn," Blaine said, exasperated. "Just… watch her, okay? Don't let her roll off the couch and if she wakes up or starts crying, pick her up and call me. I'll be down to get her."

Finn didn't look so sure, but he nodded anyway, so Blaine turned and climbed up the stairs two steps at a time. Kurt's bedroom's door was closed and he gently knocked when he got there.

"Kurt? Honey, it's me," he called softly. "I'm going to come in, okay?"

He opened the door and peeked inside. Kurt was lying on his bed, with his face buried in his pillow. His shoulders were shaking slightly and it wasn't hard to tell he was crying. Blaine's heart broke at the sight.

Before he could ask him what had happened, Kurt turned to look at him and Blaine felt devastated. Kurt looked so _miserable_.

"Why did I do that, Blaine?" He sobbed. "I should've tried to keep the image I had of her in my head. But this… this changes everything."

"Oh, baby," Blaine sighed, walked to the bed and lay down next to him to wrap him in his arms. Kurt immediately burrowed into his chest, clutching his clothes in his fists. "I know it was hard, but…"

"Hard?" Kurt repeated, looking into Blaine's eyes, bitterly. "It was the hardest thing I've ever done in my life. And I'm not even sure it was worth it."

"What happened?" Blaine asked, stroking his hair soothingly.

Kurt sighed and let his head fall back on Blaine's chest. "I'm not sure. I lost control and I can't even remember half of the things I screamed at her…"

"Even if it wasn't pleasant," Blaine said calmly, "getting all the things you had bottled up inside of you off your chest is good. Carrying all that around wasn't going to help you, Kurt."

"The answers I got won't help me, either," Kurt muttered sadly. "I… I honestly don't know what I was expecting to hear from her."

Blaine didn't know what to answer to that, so he just held Kurt a bit closer and hoped it said more than any words he could think of.

* * *

For the rest of the day, Kurt didn't want to leave his room. Blaine had just gone downstairs with Kara to feed her dinner when there was a knock on his door. Kurt didn't answer, but the door opened slowly anyway.

"You okay, kiddo?" Burt asked from the doorway.

Kurt's eyes were fixed on the ceiling. He sighed.

Burt came into the room and sat on the bed. "Blaine told me what happened."

"Are you going to tell me I shouldn't have gone to see her?" Kurt said, tilting his head to the side to look at his father. "Because I sort of figured that out on my own."

"No, Kurt," Burt shook his head and patted his knee. "I just wanted to make sure you were alright."

"I will be, I guess," Kurt shrugged.

"Will you come to me if you need to talk?" Burt asked. "I know I really screwed up, but…"

"You did, but I forgive you," Kurt cut him off, smiling slightly. "I love you too much to even try to stay mad at you or to feel any resentment…"

"I love you, too, Kurt," Burt said as a few tears made his eyes bright.

They stayed silent, just keeping each other company for a while.

"I should probably go see if Blaine needs help in the kitchen," Burt muttered, standing up. "Poor kid wants to do too much. He's going to explode one of these days…"

"Gosh," Kurt let his head fall back with a thump. "I'm such a jerk. Why am I letting my boyfriend deal with all my stuff?"

"Because he loves you and he wants to," Burt said naturally. "Just make sure to reward him and to love him as much as he deserves to be loved."

"Do you have any suggestions?" Kurt sat up and looked for his shoes that somehow had slipped under the bed when he kicked them off earlier.

"Well, I don't know," Burt walked to the door and pulled it open again. "You guys already have a kid. You might as well get the rings, too…"

Kurt gaped at his father in shock, causing Burt to chuckle a bit.

"It's up to you, kiddo. I'm just saying," Burt winked and turned to leave the room.

Just a heartbeat passed. "Dad?" Kurt stopped him.

"Yeah?" Burt stopped to glance back at his son.

Kurt swallowed. The words had a bad taste in his mouth. "She looked really, really sick."

The words hung in the air, looming over them dark and heavy.

* * *

Once the winter break was over and Kurt went back to New York, he instantly missed Blaine and Kara.

But he couldn't deny that being away from everything was a relief. While he was burying his nose in long, boring books he needed to read for some of his classes, there wasn't any room left in his brain to worry about what was happening back in Lima.

Maybe he couldn't escape forever, but it was nice not having to deal with anything for a while.

* * *

Finn started seeing Kurt less and less. He spent most of his time in class, or at the library and he only made it back to their dorm room late at night, when Finn was already dead to the world. He was always up very early, too, and out of the room before Finn even made it out of bed.

His brother knew what it was like to feel the need to forget about everything going on around him, but that didn't mean he wasn't worried.

"Kurt, dude," Finn said one afternoon when he decided to step into the library to check on him. "Have you at least eaten today?"

"Of course I have," Kurt huffed, without even looking up at him. "I'm busy, Finn."

"Look, I know you're like, upset about your mom and stuff, but…"

The glare Kurt directed at him silenced him effectively.

* * *

"Finn said you're not eating enough."

Kurt rolled his eyes and covered his head with his blankets. "Dad, I'm fine."

"No, you're not," Burt said. He sighed from his end of the phone. "I know you're going through some hard stuff right now, Kurt. But no one's going to take care of you if don't do it yourself. We're already stressed out about all of this. Don't add to it."

Kurt was silent for a moment. "Okay. Fine. I'll make sure I eat more often. I just… Dad, I can't allow myself to think about it."

"Maybe that's exactly what you need to do, kiddo," Burt answered patiently. "Maybe you're stuck because you're not letting yourself find a solution."

"What solution is there, dad?" Kurt asked him, feeling lost.

Burt didn't seem to have any answers, either.

* * *

Exhausted. He was exhausted. It was as if the world had ganged up against Blaine, somehow, all at once. He'd had three tests that week, Mr. Schuester had decided to add two more rehearsals to have the Glee club ready for their next competition and Kara had caught a cold, and needed constant attention. By the time Thrusday night rolled around, Blaine collapsed into bed, with his muscles sore and a headache that was killing him. He couldn't wait for the weekend.

But obviously, the world was still against him, because he had just buried his face in his pillow and was reaching to turn the lights off, when his cellphone started ringing.

He grabbed it blindly, convinced it was Kurt. They hadn't talked much that day and usually they called each other for a long distance goodnight kiss.

"Hello?" He said, without even opening his eyes.

At first there was only silence. Blaine was pretty much entirely asleep by then and he was about to drop his phone on the bed when a sharp intake of breath snap him out of his haze.

"Blaine…"

"Katherine?" Blaine forced himself to sit up on the bed. He rubbed at his tired eyes. "What's wrong?"

"Blaine, please," she was clearly struggling to breathe as she gasped her plea. "Pick Kara up. Now. Please."

Blaine was already out of bed. "Are you feeling sick? Do you need me to call an ambulance for you, too?"

There was no answer.

"Katherine!" Blaine exclaimed loudly, sick with dread. "Katherine, talk to me!"

"Just come for her," Katherine replied weakly, clearly making an effort to speak.

Blaine wasn't sure he had ever felt as scared and as desperate as he felt right then.

* * *

Blaine made it to the motel in record time, ignoring the traffic laws and feeling incredibly grateful that no cops had pulled him over. He ran up the stairs, with his heart pounding in his chest almost painfully. He didn't even bother knocking. He pushed the door open and entered the room.

"Katherine!" He said, looking around for her.

Kara was in her crib, fortunately still sleeping, and Katherine was sitting on the floor slumped next to her, looking paler than a ghost.

"Katherine," he repeated, crouching next to her. "What's wrong? Tell me…"

"Call an ambulance and leave with Kara, please," Katherine rasped with a hoarse voice that didn't sound like her at all. "Take her before she… I don't want her to see…"

Blaine could feel a lump forming in his throat, but he pulled his cellphone out of his pocket and called 911, asking for an ambulance. Once the operator told him it was on its way, he hung up and sat next to Katherine. "They're coming. Everything will be alright."

"I don't want you to stay," she muttered. "Just go."

"I can't leave you like this," he grabbed her hand and squeezed it gently, trying to ignore how cold she was.

"Kara…"

"She's sleeping," Blaine interrupted. "I'll get her out of here if she wakes up, but I'm staying with you until she does."

It didn't take long for Blaine to realize that Katherine was crying softly. The tears were falling down her cheeks and her body was shaking slightly.

"Are you in pain?" Blaine asked, worried. "Do you want me to help you get into bed until the ambulance gets here?"

"No," Katherine sobbed weakly. "I'm thinking about Kurt. I… I wish…" Her words were cut off by a violent cough. "I wish… I'd watched him grow up… I wish I hadn't been so stupid…"

"Everyone makes mistakes," Blaine reassured her gently.

"Don't try t-to justify me or m-make me feel better," Katherine tried taking a deep breath, but it only made her cough some more. "I-I know he hates me, but… p-please tell him I love him. Please, Blaine. You have to t-tell him…"

"Ssh," Blaine's eyes were filled with tears now, too. He pulled her closer so she could rest against his chest and kissed the top of her head. "I will. I'll tell him that you love him…"

"I-I'm sorry I was s-such a terrible mother," Katherine clung to Blaine's shirt, faintly. "I'm so sorry…"

Katherine's sobs and the sound of the approaching ambulance siren filled Blaine's ears. He held her tighter, not knowing what to say, not knowing how to say goodbye to her.

* * *

Carole was cleaning up the kitchen when the phone rang. She had just arrived home after her evening shift and had fixed something quick to eat for herself. The only thing she wanted now was to lie down and rest. Her feet were swollen after running from emergency to emergency all day.

"Hello," she said, drying her hands on a kitchen cloth.

"Carole, it's Blaine," the boy said on the other end. He sounded freaked out and anxious. "I need to talk to Burt."

"Let me get him," Carole said as she climbed up the stairs. "He's already in bed. What's going on, Blaine?"

"I'm at the hospital. It's Katherine."

Carole paused with her hand on the doorknob. She could hear Burt snoring softly in their bedroom and she took a few seconds to breathe and allow him a bit more peaceful sleep. "Are you okay? Do you need me to take care of the baby?"

"No, no," Blaine said anxiously and he sounded so frantic, so scared. Carole had forgotten, these past few months, that Blaine was pretty much still a kid. "My mom took her home. But I… I couldn't leave Katherine here alone. I didn't know who else to call."

"We'll be there in a few minutes, darling," Carole assured him as soothingly as she could. "I'll tell him what's going on. Try to calm down a bit, okay?"

"Okay," Blaine mumbled.

Carole hung up before walking into the bedroom. She sat on the edge of the bed and put her hand on Burt's arm. She squeezed gently. "Burt?"

Burt startled awake and looked at her, confused for a moment. "Hey. Did you just got here? How was your day?"

"It was fine," Carole gave him a little smile. "Blaine just called, honey."

Burt frowned, still half asleep. "Blaine?"

"Katherine's in the hospital."

Those words fell on Burt heavily. He sat there, staring into his wife's eyes and trying to decide what to do.

He was torn between what was right in his heart, and what was right in his head.

* * *

When Carole and Burt arrived at the hospital, they saw Blaine standing next to the Emergency entrance doors, with his phone glued to his ear. For a moment, Burt was afraid Blaine had called Kurt to give him the news. He didn't know how Kurt was going to react, but he knew he wanted to be there for both of them, whatever happened. And if what Carole had told him was true, Blaine wasn't exactly in a calm and collected enough frame of mind to tell Kurt about it.

His fears proved to be unnecessary, though, as soon as they approached the boy. Blaine was pacing restlessly and singing softly into his phone.

_A dream is a wish your heart makes  
When you're fast asleep  
In dreams you lose your heartaches  
Whatever you wish for, you keep  
Have faith in your dreams and someday  
Your rainbow will come smiling thru  
No matter how your heart is grieving  
If you keep on believing  
the dream that you wish will come true_

He hummed for a few more seconds before he spoke softly. "Is she asleep now, mom? Okay. Great. I'll call you later. Bye."

He ran a hand over his face, obviously exhausted, as he hung up.

"Hey, buddy," Burt said and Blaine turned around to face them.

"Oh, hey," Blaine smiled sadly. "Sorry I woke you when…"

"It's okay, son. Are you here alone?" Burt asked, looking around searchingly.

"Yeah. My dad is away on a business trip and I called my mom to take Kara home," he shoved his phone back on his pocket. "She just called me because she couldn't get her to go to sleep, so…"

"She falls asleep if you sing to her?" Carole wrapped an arm around his shoulders as they started walking into the hospital.

"It's the only way to settle her, once she gets upset," Blaine sighed. "Especially these days. It's like she senses that something's wrong…"

"Babies sometimes sense those things," Carole kissed his temple. "She'll be fine, though, Blaine. Don't worry about her now. How are _you_?"

"I'm… I don't even know," Blaine sat numbly on a white plastic chair once they got into a waiting room.

"Why don't you go home, sweetheart? You look absolutely exhausted," Carole patted his knee simpatetically.

"Because I'm the only person she has left in her life," Blaine answered. "I don't want her to be all alone when she…"

The awkward pause was filled with the sounds of people coming and going hurriedly, of nurses and doctors being called through the speakers, of some kid screaming feverishly in another hallway.

"Have you called Kurt yet?" Burt asked nervously.

"No, not yet," Blaine shook his head. "I thought… I thought you might want to…"

"Yes, I will," Burt stood up and started pacing. "I don't know how he'll take it, but… he needs to know."

Blaine nodded wearily. He was too tired to do anything else.

* * *

Kurt had cut back on his crazy schedule a little bit, as promised, but he still got up really early to spend a few quiet hours in the library, to complete his homework done. He liked working in the mornings, when everyone was still trying to catch up on sleep before rolling out of bed to go to class.

He always started his day with a shower to wake him up completely, which was why he didn't hear the phone.

When he left the bathroom, wearing his jeans and an undershirt and drying his hair with a towel, Finn was awake, which was weird. His brother always slept until five minutes before his first class, and then rushed out of the dorm to get there on time. But now, he was on the phone, scratching his head, and looking confused.

" … shower. Oh, wait. Here he is," Finn held the phone out for Kurt to grab it. Kurt quirked an eyebrow at him in question. "It's your dad. He needs to talk to you."

Kurt frowned. Burt never called there so early. "Dad?" He said apprehensively, sitting on the edge of the bed. "Is everything alright?"

"No, Kurt," Burt answered simply, cutting right to the chase. "We're at the hospital."

"Hospital?" Kurt could feel his heart racing. "Why? What happened? Is it your heart? Is Kara okay? Where's Blaine?"

"Calm down, kiddo," Burt said as soothingly as he could. "We're all okay. It's… it's your mom."

Kurt closed his eyes and inhaled slowly. "What about her?"

There was a moment of silence, as if Burt was looking for the right words. "It's time, kiddo."

Kurt didn't need any further explanation. He felt the air leaving his lungs. He felt as if he was eight again. And just like then, he wasn't ready to lose his mother.

Not when he had spent ten years of his life believing he already had.

* * *

A raw cough woke Blaine up. He almost fell off his chair when he straightened up, startled. It took a few seconds for his eyes to get used to the cold white, flourescent hospital light.

He looked at the bed, where Katherine was lying, surrounded by machines he didn't know the purpose of. Her eyes were open as she breathed harshly, her chest rising and falling so slowly that Blaine imagine it had to be causing her pain.

"Hey," Blaine said, standing up and walking to the bed. "You're awake…" Wasn't that a genius observation? Blaine felt like face-palming.

Katherine's lips parted as she tried to speak. She had to tried a few times before a hoarse voice finally emerged. "Go home, Blaine."

Blaine rolled his eyes, trying to lighten the situation a little bit. "Aren't you nice?" He moved the chair closer to the bed and sat next to her. "I'm going to stay with you and there's nothing you can say to convince me otherwise."

Katherine sighed tiredly and her eyelids fell heavily before her eyes snapped open again in alarm. "Kara. Where is Kara?"

"Ssh, it's okay," Blaine took her hand to soothe her. She was cold and pale and so thin… "She's at my house with my mom. Don't worry."

Katherine calmed visibly, but her face was still troubled.

"Do you want some water?" Blaine asked, as cheerfully as he could.

"I don't want you here, Blaine," she said softly. "You don't have to be here for this."

"I'm not leaving you here alone," Blaine replied stubbornly.

A nurse came into the room then to check on Katherine so Blaine excused himself to go out to the hallway and call his mother to check on Kara. From where he stood, leaning against a wall, he could see Burt sitting alone in a row of white plastic chairs. The man hadn't left the hospital since the previous night, but he hadn't made it into the room, either. It was obvious to Blaine that he was going through a struggle with himself.

His attention was pulled away from Burt as soon as his mother picked up the phone, because the line was suddenly filled with cries.

"Mom?" He said, alarmed.

"Hi, darling," Amelia replied distractedly on the other side.

"What's going on?" Blaine asked. "What's wrong with Kara?"

"She's okay," Amelia answered as she shushed the little girl and cooed at her. "She's just a bit fussy. She's never been alone for this long, with just me, so I'm guessing that's the reason..."

"Has she eaten? Did you change her diaper?" Blaine started pacing again. He felt like he he had been doing that ceaselessly since the night before.

"Blaine," Amelia muttered softly. "Believe it or not, I raised a kid myself. I know what to do with a baby…"

"Sorry, you're right," Blaine ran a hand through his hair, nervously. "I'm just really tense right now."

"Have _you_ eaten? You sound exhausted, dear…"

"I'm okay," Blaine couldn't hear Kara's crying anymore. "Mom, can you bring Kara here, please?"

"Blaine, you have enough on your hands right now. I'll take care of her. She'll calm down eventually…"

"Please," Blaine begged, peeking into the room where the nurse was still talking to Katherine. "I think Katherine would like to see her again and I'll be a lot more relaxed if I have her here. Please."

Amelia sighed in surrender. "Fine. I'll be there soon. I'll bring along some food for you, too."

Before Blaine could protest, Amelia hung up. He put his phone back in his pocket and walked towards Burt. He felt as if he needed to make sure no one around him was crumbling.

He sat next to him. "Did you talk to Kurt?"

"Yeah," Burt nodded absently. "He didn't say much. I don't know what he's going to do…"

"And you?" Blaine asked quietly. "What are _you_ going to do?"

Burt smiled sadly at him, with a shrug. "That's a great question, kiddo."

* * *

Katherine hadn't been able to hide how happy it made her to see Kara, even though she insisted she didn't want her daughter there. She didn't have strength enough to hold her, but Blaine sat the little girl on the bed next to her mother and he let them enjoy each other's company for a while, until there was a soft knock on the door.

When Blaine turned, he was surprised to find Burt standing there.

"Can I come in?" He asked gruffly.

"S-sure," Katherine answered, a bit insecure. "Blaine…"

"We'll wait out in the hall. Right, baby girl?" Blaine cooed, trying to sound nonchalant. "Kiss mommy, Kara!"

Katherine kissed her daughter's cheek and watched as Blaine took her away. The girl clung to his neck and smiled at him adoringly all the time. It comforted her to know that she was leaving her baby in the best hands.

Burt closed the door, causing her to startle out of her thoughts. He crossed the room and sat on the same chair Blaine had occupied most of the day.

"Burt…"

"Let me talk first, okay?" He interrupted. He cleared his throat. "This isn't easy for me…"

"I'm sorry," Katherine looked down at her hands resting on the blankets.

"I'll never be able to forgive you for what you did," Burt said with his voice a bit hoarse. "I'll never understand how you could leave Kurt behind…" He paused to take a deep breath. "But I am going to apologize for telling him that you'd died. I closed all the doors with that. I didn't give you two the chance to see each other again."

"You don't have to apologise to me, Burt," she said sadly.

"Yes, I do," Burt finally looked at her in the eyes. Her eyes were the only part of her that still remained the same way he remembered her. All the rest was broken. "We both made mistakes, Katherine."

"You did what you had to do," Katherine tried to shrug, but even that was too much of an effort.

"No," Burt shook his head and scooted closer with his chair. "I remember this one time when we weren't married yet and we were sitting together in that little balcony you had back in your parents' house…" Katherine smiled slightly, as if the memory was enough to brighten up her life a little bit. "And we were talking about our dreams. I have to be honest with you: I've never understood your dreams, at least not until Kurt's started to be so similar to yours and by then, it was late." Burt sighed and suddenly he looked a decade older. "I didn't give you the freedom to go after your dreams. I wanted to stay in Ohio because I'm a simple man and I've always been. I don't like big, noisy cities. I should've known that wasn't enough for you."

"I still shouldn't have left you both behind," Katherine replied bitterly. "I regretted it every minute of every day after I did."

"No, you shouldn't have left," Burt agreed, just as bitterly. "You should've talked to me, although I probably wouldn't have understood, just like I still don't sometimes when Kurt talks about the things…"

"You did a wonderful job raising him, Burt," Katherine muttered with tears in her eyes. "I'm so glad that at least one of my kids was lucky enough to have a great father…"

"Kara has a great father, too, you know?" Burt looked at her with bright eyes. "Blaine is crazy about her…"

" _I'm_ crazy for allowing a teenager to take on such a responsibility…" Katherine tried to laugh, but it ended in a cough.

"Yeah, well…" Burt looked at the closed door, knowing Blaine was on the other side with the little girl. "Blaine isn't just any teenager. And the way he has handled everything with you, Kurt and Kara these past few months… that's proof enough that he's one hell of a man…"

Katherine let out a dreamy sigh. "Our son did well, then. At least I can be sure of that."

"He did wonderfully," Burt assured her. Suddenly, his eyes filled with tears, too. "Katherine… I'm so sorry you're going through this… I know we had our differences, but seeing you like this… I remember seeing you so full of life dancing around the kitchen table…"

"I'm tired, Burt," she said. "A couple months ago I was terrified of this moment, but now…"

"You're not afraid anymore?" Burt asked and he unconsciously reached to take her hand and squeeze it.

"No, I'm not," Katherine replied calmly.

She was tired of a life full of mistakes and now that she was sure that she wasn't making another one and leaving another kid heartbroken and abandoned, she felt like there was only one thing left to regret.

If she only could see Kurt one more time…

* * *

It was later that afternoon when Blaine found himself alone with Kara in the waiting room again. A nurse was helping Katherine wash up a little and he had sat there in the plastic chairs that he found himself hating and watching Kara as she played with her favorite doll on the seat next to his as he had a cup of the most horrible coffee he had ever tasted.

He was thinking of Lima Bean coffee dates and dark blue blazers when the voice resounded against the walls.

"I was sure I'd find you here."

Kara squealed before he had time to react. Kurt was standing there, looking pale and anxious, with a duffel bag hanging from his shoulder. Blaine stood up, holding Kara and welcomed him in his arms. Kurt crossed the room to melt right into them.

"I didn't know if you'd come," Blaine whispered in his ear, as he kissed his temple lovingly.

"I didn't, either, until I was on the plane," Kurt pulled away just enough to rest their foreheads together. That only lasted a couple of seconds, because Kara started flailing her arms around, asking for attention. "Oh, hey, sweetheart!" He scooped her into his arms and kissed her repeatedly until Kara was giggling adorably. The girl nuzzled against his shoulder and stayed there, enjoying his warmth and his embrace. Kurt looked at Blaine again, the smile fading from his face. "How is she?"

"Weak," Blaine answered, knowing there was no point in lying. "Tired."

"Even more than when I saw her?" Kurt asked, concern obvious in his voice.

"Quite a lot," Blaine smiled sadly and reached for his boyfriend's hand. "Your dad left an hour ago or so. He wanted to be home with Carole for a little while, but he said he'd come back later."

"Have you gone home and slept?" Kurt sounded even more worried.

"No, but I'm okay," Blaine leaned closer to kiss him. He really needed it. "I don't want her to be alone when…" The words hung in the air, like they always did when something was too hard to say.

Kurt sat on one of the chairs, holding Kara to his chest. "I can't believe this is happening."

"I know," Blaine threw an arm around him and kept him close, trying to comfort him. They were silent for a moment, and then Blaine just had to ask: "Are you going to see her?"

Kurt swallowed and kissed the top of Kara's head. "I don't know."

How do you say goodbye to someone who has been missing from your life for so long?

* * *

Somehow, Katherine felt a lot better. Maybe it was that her skin smelled like soap or that Blaine had opened up a window for her before he left the room. Now she could see the darkened sky and feel the fresh air instead of just breathing the hospital air, always so heavy. She didn't know what caused it, but she was grateful for for the occasional moments without pain and weakness. She almost felt like getting out of bed and walking around the room.

She was still considering whether that was a good idea or not, when the door opened slowly. The first thing she saw was Kara's cute face peeking into the room. Katherine smiled happily and she was about to say something to Blaine, when she realized the boy carrying her daughter was a little taller.

Her heart stopped for a moment when she saw him.

"Kurt…" She sat up on the bed a little, hardly daring yet to believe he was real.

"Hi," he said quietly. "Is it okay if I come in?"

"Of course!" She waved him in. "Of course it is."

Kurt closed the door behind them and moved closer to the bed. Kara immediately reached for her mother and since Katherine felt confident that she was strong enough to hold her, she cuddled her in her arms.

"I didn't know you were coming," Katherine commented. "Last time I asked Blaine about you, he told me you were really busy with school."

Kurt sat on the chair next to the bed and looked at her blankly. "I didn't know I was coming, either. I sort of decided at the spur of the moment." He hesitated, but he thought it was better to be honest. "I guess I… I didn't want my last memory of you to be the one at the motel."

Katherine's face fell a little. "Kurt…"

"I don't think we'd ever have the same relationship we used to have before you left, not even if we had more time…" Kurt shrugged as he tried to bite back the tears. "But if everything Blaine has told me is true… then I know you regret what you did and I guess that's all I could ask for right now."

"I didn't leave because I didn't love you, Kurt," Katherine said quickly, as if she didn't want to miss her chance to tell him that. "I left because I felt trapped. I've never wanted a life in a small town. I wanted more. I just didn't know how to have that and make your father happy at the same time." She swallowed. "I thought of taking you with me before I left that day… but that would've killed Burt, so I didn't. I figured you two would be happier together…"

Kurt nodded. There wasn't much more he could say. He understood, somehow. He knew what it was like to feel trapped in Lima, without a way out.

Kara booped her mother's nose and giggled. Katherine smiled at her and just for a brief moment, she didn't look sick at all. For just a few seconds, it was as if the woman Kurt remembered was back.

Maybe he couldn't forgive her just like that for what she had done, but he could forget about it for a moment, and enjoy the fact that he had his mother back, even if it wasn't in the way he had dreamed of while he was growing up.

He didn't realize he had tears in his eyes. "Remember when I was little and I would scratch my knees or have nightmares or get hurt?"

"I remember," Katherine answered with a soft smile. "I used to cuddle you and sing to you."

"I think that's what I've missed the most," Kurt muttered quietly, his eyes mirroring her pain.

Katherine watched him for a couple of seconds before she shifted over on the bed a little, careful of her IV and the wires connected to her body. Kurt looked at her quizzically.

"Come here," she said, tentatively with a beckoning wave, hoping he wouldn't reject her now.

Kurt wiped his tears away and hesitated for only an instant, before he lay down on the bed next to his mother and his sister. Kara moved to snuggle between them and Katherine's hand found Kurt's on the little girl's back.

The three musketeers were connected at last.

Kurt didn't even have time to say anything. Katherine started singing in a low voice. Lately, her voice had been hoarse and weak, but today, it was clear as a summer morning, just as Kurt remembered it.

_Baby mine, don't you cry  
Baby mine, dry your eyes  
Rest your head close to my heart  
Never to part, baby of mine  
Little one when you play  
Don't you mind what you say  
Let those eyes sparkle and shine  
Never a tear, baby of mine  
If they knew sweet little you  
They'd end up loving you too  
All those same people who scold you  
What they'd give just for  
The right to hold you  
From your head to your toes  
You're not much, goodness knows  
But you're so precious to me  
Cute as can be, baby of mine_

Kurt was genuinely crying by the time Katherine finished the song. He forgot any lingering resentment against her and threw his arms around her waist, hiding his face on her shoulder.

"I missed you so much, Mom," he croaked.

Katherine was crying, too. Silent tears trailed down her pale cheeks, but she was also smiling. "I missed you, too, baby. So much." She kissed his hair, still trying to believe her little boy was so big, now nearly grown up. "I'm so sorry."

"I'm sorry, too," Kurt replied, and Katherine wasn't sure what he was sorry for, but the lump in her throat didn't let her ask about it.

They held each other, without the need to say anything, for what felt like forever.

* * *

It was only twenty minutes after Kurt left the room with Kara that Katherine exhaled her last breath. The nurse that found her said there was a little smile on her face.

It was as if she had been waiting to see Kurt again to finally let go.

* * *

What Kurt remembered most about that night was Kara's untroubled laughter. He envied the little girl for being so oblivious, for having no idea what was going on.

He wished he could laugh, too, and ignore everything happening around him. He didn't expect to feel so empty afterward. He was already supposed to know what it felt like to lose his mother. He wasn't expecting tha sharp pain in his chest.

He pressed himself closer to Blaine, nestled in his arms, his face hidden in his boyfriend's neck and cried just as hard as he had cried when he was eight years old and lost Katherine for the first time.

* * *

It took him a moment to remember why he was sleeping in his old room and why Blaine's arms were wrapped around him the next morning. But when he did, Kurt felt a sinking feeling in his stomach.

Blaine's breath misted the back of his neck and by the pace of it, Kurt could tell his boyfriend was awake.

"I can't believe I have to go to her funeral _again_ ," Kurt murmured, pressing his face into Blaine's arm and squeezing his hand tightly.

Blaine kissed his shoulder. "At least you got to say goodbye this time…"

Kurt didn't say anything. His blue eyes settled on the window. The sky was clear and he could hear the birds chirping outside. It felt strange. He had almost expected it to be a rainy day.

A soft, sleepy cry came from the crib against the opposite wall. The previous night, after they had heard the news about Katherine passing away, Burt and Blaine had gone to the motel to collect her stuff. The old crib had been placed in Kurt's room and there were a few boxes with her other belongings piled up on the living room floor. Kurt wasn't sure he had the courage to go through them yet.

Blaine got up as soon as he heard Kara and Kurt immediately missed his warmth, but he was rewarded with both his boyfriend and their freshly changed sleepy little girl slipping back into bed with him just a few minutes later.

Amongst the pain, Kurt felt a little smile tugging at his lips as Kara snuggled against his chest and Blaine tangled their legs together. "This is going to be our life next year."

Blaine smiled a bit, too. He brushed some hair off Kurt's forehead. "This is our life now."

That was the most comforting thing Kurt had ever heard.

* * *

Katherine's vacant grave, that had been empty for over ten years, wouldn't be empty anymore. Kurt stood at the place where he had stood so many times before and said goodbye to his mother one last time.

He had Kara in his arms and Blaine's arm around his waist and somehow, even though his sadness was deep and bitter, he felt like things would be fine soon.

Family was a complicated thing, Kurt realized, but as long as they loved each other, they could get through anything.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Songs included in this chapter are both from Disney movies: Cinderella's "A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes" and Dumbo's "Baby of Mine".


	9. Epilogue

**A year later.**

Weekends were a blessing. They both did their best to ensure that weekends weren't about work or school. Even if they had to sacrifice their evenings during the week, losing sleep and working double shifts, Kurt and Blaine dedicated their weekends entirely to family time.

Usually, it was Kurt who woke up earlier. Blaine had a late class on Fridays and always arrived home exhausted and ready to pass out on the bed. Kurt liked making breakfast so they could share it in bed, lazily. Early mornings and late nights were pretty much the only moments in which they could forget about everything and just be together, the two of them.

Kurt crossed their tiny, shoe box apartment in a few strides, carrying a tray with two cups of coffee and a big plate with scrambled eggs, turkey bacon and toast. Even if it was small and Kara's toys and their own school books seemed to take over every little corner of it, Kurt loved the apartment. It was their first real home.

Blaine was lying on his stomach with his face half buried in the pillows and with his arm stretched towards Kurt's side of the bed. He looked incredibly peaceful and for a moment Kurt hesitated, thinking it would be better to let him sleep. He put the tray on one of the bedside tables and crawled back into bed next to his boyfriend. Blaine's arm immediately closed around him, as if even when he was asleep he could feel Kurt's proximity and react to it.

Smiling, Kurt pressed a kiss to his shoulder, causing Blaine to nuzzle closer. "Good morning."

Blaine started smiling even before he was awake. "Mmmorning."

"I have breakfast ready, but if you want to sleep a bit longer I can take it back to the kitchen and fix something else later," Kurt said softly.

"No, it's okay," Blaine blinked his eyes open, lazily. "I promised Kara we'd take her to the park later and if I sleep late we won't have time for everything."

"Everything?" Kurt asked curiously, sitting up and reaching for the tray before the food went cold. "What else did you have in mind?"

"Sex," Blaine answered, yawning adorably and causing Kurt to chuckle. "All the amazing sex we don't get to have during the week. I want to have it now."

"Sounds promising," Kurt teased, helping his boyfriend sit up since he didn't seem able to do it himself. "I think you need some caffeine first, though."

"Mm, coffee," Blaine made grabby hands and accepted the cup Kurt gave him as he laughed. "Thank you. You look beautiful."

Kurt rolled his eyes fondly. "I haven't even showered yet."

"Even better. I get to shower with you," Blaine grinned widely as he picked up his fork.

Kurt accepted the bit of scrambled eggs Blaine fed him. "That's if…"

"Dada!"

"… your daughter doesn't wake up first," Kurt finished with a sigh.

Little feet hurried into the room and, one second later, the girl was trying to climb her way up onto the bed. Blaine chuckled and helped her up.

It was shocking how much Kara looked like Kurt. She was a tiny version of him, with longer hair and slightly bigger eyes. She was almost two years old now and not once had Kurt or Blaine regretted having their lives turned upside down. When they looked at how happy she was, they didn't care about the sacrifices they had to make every day. The student loans, the endless shifts at the coffee shop where Blaine worked before and after school, the internship where Kurt worked so hard four times a week, both of them sometimes having to stay up until three in the morning just to get their school work done once they had bathed and fed Kara and put her to bed… in the grand picture, it didn't matter. Their favorite part of their days was always coming home to one another and their beautiful little girl. Their family was the thing they loved the most.

"Well, good morning, baby girl," Blaine said sweetly, as Kara crawled under the covers and onto his lap.

" _Monin_ ," Kara answered smiling brightly at him. "Park?"

Kurt laughed and leaned to brush a kiss to her messy hair. "Not yet, Kara. First we're going to have breakfast and shower."

"Breakfast, dada!" She exclaimed, obviously changing her mind as she extended her arms towards Kurt. "I want toast."

Blaine handed her one of the pieces of toast on their plate as Kurt settled against the pillows with her, getting comfortable. Kara wiggled her little toes as she chewed on the toast.

Kurt breathed in the fruity scent of Kara's shampoo that remained from the previous night. He took a sip from his coffee and looked at Blaine over the edge of the cup, finding warm hazel eyes staring back at him.

Maybe their life was far from easy, but it certainly wasn't far from perfect.

* * *

**Three years later.**

Kurt pushed through the crowd, eyes searching. Kara tightened her arms around his neck a little, making sure she wouldn't fall as she peeked over the heads of the people around them.

"There he is, daddy! I see him!" She exclaimed, pointing to Kurt's left.

"Blaine!" Kurt called, smiling as he finally found his boyfriend, too.

Blaine looked up, radiant smile fixed on his lips and hurried towards them, holding his graduation cap with one hand and his diploma with the other.

Kurt didn't have words to express how proud of Blaine he was. Even with how difficult things had been for them sometimes, he had managed to graduate on top of his class. He wrapped the arm that wasn't holding Kara around his boyfriend's waist and pulled him closer, giving him a deep, passionate kiss.

"You're squeezing me, daddies!" Kara said, but she hugged them both nonetheless.

"Sorry, baby," Blaine laughed, pulling away just enough to let her breathe, but still close to them.

"Congratulations," Kurt said, grinning so hard he was sure his face would hurt later. "You're going to be everyone's favorite teacher, Mr. Anderson."

Blaine had always imagined himself in the entertainment world when he was younger. He had wanted to be a musician, a Broadway star, an actor, anything that would take him to places he had dreamed of his entire life. But that had been before he had found himself becoming a father when he was still a teenager. Before Kara, he had never been around kids before, but his daughter had taught him how wonderful it was to take care of children, to teach them new things, to watch them grow.

His daugther had awakened in him a passion he hadn't known he had.

Blaine moved forward and kissed his boyfriend sweetly, still smiling, before turning to his daughter and picking her up in his arms. "All this excitement made me hungry! Do you guys want to get something to eat?"

"Of course," Kurt grabbed his hand and started guiding him out. "Our parents, Finn and Rachel are all waiting in the hallway. Let's go find them."

Kara brushed a kiss to Blaine's cheek as he allowed Kurt to walk them out.

* * *

**One year later.**

Kneeling carefully, Kurt made sure his daughter's dress looked perfect. He was one of New York's rising fashion designers for good reason.

"Can you tell me again how you proposed to dad?" Kara asked as he stood back up.

"We don't have much time for that story again right now, princess," Kurt answered with a smile. "But I promise I'll tell you again later. Do you remember what you have to do now?"

"Yes," Kara nodded solemnly. "I walk down the aisle and I throw the flower petals."

"Exactly," Kurt handed her the white basket full of petals. "And then?"

"When it's time for the rings, I give the box to you," Kara continued, pulling the rings box out of the basket where it was resting among the flowers.

"Very good," Kurt kissed the top of her head.

"It's time, kiddo," Burt announced as he stepped forward from where he had been sitting behind them. "Are you ready?"

"Of course I'm ready," Kurt smiled brightly. "I've been ready for years."

"I'm actually surprised it took you this long to finally ask Blaine to marry you," Burt shrugged and Kurt immediately reached to fix his father's tie.

"We wanted to wait until we could do it the right way," Kurt said and it was true. With how tight they had been financially the first years they had spent in New York, there was no hope of getting married, at least the way they wanted, to have it all when they did: the party, the honeymoon, a new apartment.

Finn and Rachel walked into the little waiting room then. Rachel was also wearing one of Kurt's designs, a beautiful sky blue dress that made her look stunning. It was the adult version of what Kara was also wearing.

"Kara goes first?" Finn asked as he shifted, already uncomfortable in his suit.

"No, uncle Finn!" Kara said, rolling her eyes in a way that was terrifyingly simmilar to the way Kurt rolled his eyes. "You and aunt Rachel go first, then uncle Cooper and aunt Georgia and then _I_ go before the grooms!"

"My six year-old has a better memory than you, Finn," Kurt muttered as he pushed his brother and sister-in-law towards the double doors. "Now go! The music is starting already!"

Finn stumbled out of the waiting room and started walking down the aisle that was on the right side of the venue, with Rachel holding his arm and smiling widely. Right after they reached the front, the door on the left side opened and Blaine's brother and his wife walked to meet the other two in the middle.

"Okay, your turn," Kurt whispered, kissing Kara's cheek. He watched her go, walking slowly and throwing the flowers the way they had practiced a million times and he couldn't hold back the smiles. He knew his face was going to be a waterfall by the time the ceremony ended.

"Come on," Burt said, extending his arm to his son. "Don't keep your man waiting."

Kurt grabbed his father's arm and walked out of the waiting room at the same time as Blaine did the same holding his mother's arm. Both Carole and Harry looked at them smiling from the front row, but Kurt and Blaine didn't have eyes for anyone but each other.

They had wanted this for so long. They had fantasized about being husbands since they were teenagers. Kurt could remember perfectly the endless daydreaming they had done together during their first year in New York, when this day still seemed way too far away. They had whispered their dreams and desires under the sheets, making sure to keep quiet so they wouldn't wake up the sleeping girl in the room next to theirs.

When Blaine reached for his hand, Kurt couldn't believe it wasn't a dream anymore. They were really doing this.

"You look beautiful," Kurt sighed, breathless as they stood next to each other.

"You do, too," Blaine said, as enthralled as Kurt was.

They were so lost in each other that they didn't really hear half of the ceremony. They slipped out of their love daze just enough to say 'I do' and put the rings on. And then they were kissing, kissing in front of all the people that cheered for them, kissing like they had done so many times before, but knowing it was different now. They were kissing their husbands.

When they pulled away (people had started whistling by then), both were crying and laughing at the same time. Kara launched herself at them and they picked her up in their arms, kissing her, too.

It never stopped surprising them, how happiness kept growing inside of them. And as they walked out of the venue, with their daughter in their arms and new, shiny rings on their fingers, they were the happiest they had ever been.

* * *

**Six months later.**

One of the things Blaine loved the most about his job was that he got home earlier than Kurt. He helped Kara with her homework and played with her a bit before getting dinner started. Kurt usually got home tired after spending long hours at the office, hunched over designs, fabrics and accessories, making sure everything was perfect for the company's next project.

He was seasoning a chicken he had just put on a pan, when Kara padded into the kitchen, frowning.

"Daddy?"

"Yes, sweetheart?" He said, humming as he moved to the cutting board to cut some vegetables.

"Do I have a mommy?" She asked in a low voice.

Blaine took a deep breath and put the knife down, turning around to face his daughter. "Everyone has a mommy, Kara."

Kara's eyes went wide as she stared up at his father. " _Really_?"

Blaine crouched in front of her and brushed her hair back from her forehead, smiling comfortingly. "Really. And if you want to know about her, we'll tell you everything. But we need to wait until daddy gets home. He'll want to be here to talk to you about it, too."

"Okay," Kara nodded slowly.

Kara went back to the living room and put one of her favorite movies on the DVD. Blaine leaned against the counter and closed his eyes. He had always known this day would come, but it still made him nervous. He didn't know how Kara would react to the truth.

The front door opened half an hour later and Kurt entered the apartment, immediately dropping his keys and coat.

"I don't want to see any more black silk for the rest of my life," he groaned as he walked towards Blaine to peck him on the lips. "Hi, honey."

"Hey," Blaine said distractedly, massaging the knots on Kurt's neck.

Frowning, Kurt studied his husband. "What's wrong?"

"We… need to talk to Kara," Blaine answered, sliding his arms around Kurt's waist. "She started asking questions. About her mother."

"Oh," Kurt muttered. Blaine offered him a cup of wine that he accepted gratefully. "Do we have time to talk to her before dinner's ready?"

"It'll be done in ten minutes," Blaine said. "Why don't you wash up and we talk to her while we eat?"

"Sounds good," Kurt gave him another kiss and walked out of the kitchen. The sounds of Kara immediately running to greet her other father filled the apartment for a moment and Blaine finished cooking with a smile on his face.

Blaine had the food on the table in a few minutes and Kurt and Kara sat and smiled at him as he cut the chicken and served it. Kara grabbed her fork and started pushing some vegetables away.

"Kara, honey, you need to eat all of it," Kurt said as he poured water into his daughter's glass.

"But I only want the red ones today!" She protested pouting.

"All of them, baby girl," Blaine insisted. "Or there won't be any ice-cream for you later."

"Fine," Kara sighed, but she started eating.

Blaine reached for Kurt's hand under the table.

"Your dad told me you've been asking some questions, Kara," Kurt started, as calmly as he could.

"Yeah," Kara nodded, putting her fork down to look at her fathers. "Everyone at school asked me about my mom. And daddy said I have one, too! Then why haven't I met her?"

"Babies come from mommy's bellies, Kara," Blaine started, a bit unsure. They had practiced this talk a million times, but he still didn't know if he was doing it right. "So if two daddies want to have babies, they have to ask a mommy to have it for them."

"But your case was… special," Kurt said. The girl looked at him, puzzled. "Your mommy didn't want to give you away, but she couldn't take care of you."

"Why not?" Kara asked, tilting her head to the side.

"She was sick, sweetheart," Kurt replied. He grabbed his daughter's hand in his. "She needed to find someone who could take care of you once she went to heaven, so that's why we're your daddies now."

"So my mommy died?" Kara's lower lip trembled a bit and Blaine hurried to pick her up and sit her on his lap, holding her against his chest.

"Yes, baby," Kurt nodded as a few tears went down his cheeks. "But she loved you with all her heart and that's what matters the most."

Kara was silent for a few minutes and they let her process the information quietly. "How did you meet my mommy?"

Kurt took a deep breath and ran his fingers through her hair. "She was my mommy, too."

Kara blinked, confused. "We have the same mommy?"

Kurt nodded slowly.

"Wouldn't that make me like your sister?" She asked with wide eyes.

"Technically, yes," Kurt said carefully. He grabbed her hand again. "But that doesn't change anything, Kara. Daddy and I adopted you once she was gone and we've been your fathers ever since. We've raised you and we've taken care of you and we'll keep doing that forever, okay?"

It was Kara's turn to nod as she looked at Kurt, trying to understand.

"You were mom's biggest gift to me, Kara," Kurt continued, wiping the tears away from his face. "I'll always be grateful to her for putting you into my life."

Kara smiled slowly and reached her arms so Kurt scooped her up and hugged her tightly to his chest, burying his face on her little neck. He looked up to see Blaine sitting next to him, also with tears in his eyes and he extended his hand to invite him into the embrace, which Blaine joined without a second of hesitation.

Maybe it would take a while for Kara to understand and maybe it wouldn't be as simple as it was for her friends' families, but deep down inside, she knew that her daddies loved her like no one else loved her in the world and that was more than enough for her.

After a few minutes of being squeezed between them, Kara pulled away and looked at them with wide eyes. "But what are we going to do if I ever want a brother or a sister?" She asked, alarmed.

Kurt and Blaine looked at each other and chuckled, resting their foreheads together.

"We'll find a way, baby girl," Blaine promised as he dropped a kiss to Kurt's lips and then to Kara's temple. "We'll find a way."

Didn't they always?


End file.
